The explosion in a car-park outside the venue of a public gathering scheduled to be addressed by ANP Chief Asfandyar Wali Khan in Charsadda's Kulladher district.
The bomb exploded shortly before the formal launch of the event and before the ANP leaders had arrived at the venue. Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan claimed responsibility of the blast, threatening further attacks against "the country's secular parties". The attack on the ANP gathering "is just a beginning. The attacks will intensify on both the secular ANP and MQM's political gatherings," threatened the TTP spokesman, cautioning the general public to stay away from the rallies. Ehsan said the ANP and MQM would be on their hit-list because of their enmity towards the Taliban.