Kabul suicide blast kills 31

Kabul, April 22: A suicide bomber blew himself up among a crowd lining up to get access to an election-related registration site in the Afghan capital on Sunday, killing 31 people and injuring 54 others, officials said. The blast occurred at around 10 a.m. in front of a school located in Kabul’s Qala-e-Nazir area, Xinhua news agency reported. The dead included women and children while several wounded remained in critical condition. Afghan officials have slated October 20 as the date for the upcoming parliamentary and district councils elections. The voter registration process started on April 14. Two policemen have been killed and five people, including three election officials, have been kidnapped since the voter registration began. Afghans will elect members to the 249-seat lower house of Parliament for a five-year term besides members of district councils. (IANS)