Taliban deny role in Karachi suicide blast

The Taliban have disassociated themselves from a militant commander's claim that the group was behind the suicide attack on a Muharram procession of Pakistani Shia Muslims here that killed 43 people.

Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan spokesman Azam Tariq said his group was not behind the suicide bombing of the procession in Karachi on December 28.

Speaking from an undisclosed location, Tariq told reporters yesterday that militant commander Asmatullah Shaheen may have accepted responsibility for the attack on behalf of his own faction.

The central leadership of the Tehrik-e-Taliban had nothing to do with Shaheen's claim or the attack, Tariq said.

He said the Tehrik-e-Taliban had not carried out the attack as it has nothing to do with sectarian activities.

Shaheen had not consulted the Tehrik-e-Taliban's central leadership before claiming responsibility for the attack and he would be "interrogated" in this regard, Tariq said.

On Wednesday, Shaheen, a little-known militant commander, had called reporters in Peshawar and claimed responsibility for the attack that killed 43 people.

He had also warned that his men would carry out more such strikes in the next 10 days.

Shaheen had said he was claiming responsibility for the attack as it had been assigned to his faction by Tehrik-e-Taliban chief Hakimullah Mehsud and Qari Hussain, the trainer of suicide bombers.