Explosion near Pakistan election office in northwest kills four

An explosion near an election office in northwestern Pakistan killed four people and wounded 12 others Saturday, two days ahead of parliamentary polls considered crucial to restoring democracy, the party of late opposition leader Benazir Bhutto said. Further details about the blast were not immediately available. Farhatullah Babar, a spokesman for the Pakistan People's Party, said the reports came from party workers in an area bordering Afghanistan. Four people were dead and at least 12 others hurt, he said.