Blast at election rally kills 15 in Pakistan

PESHAWAR, Pakistan - Reuters

Supporters of Imran Khan, Pakistani cricketer-turned-politician and chairman of political party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) wave their party's flag during an election campaign rally in Lahore May 5, 2013. Pakistan's general elections will take place on May 11. Picture taken May 5, 2013. REUTERS/Mohsin Raza

A blast at a pre-election rally killed 15 people in northwest Pakistan on Monday, officials said.

The attack at a gathering of members of the Jamiat Ulema-e- Islam religious party also wounded 40 people, said the officials.

Since April, the Taliban have killed more than 70 people in attacks targeting three major political parties, preventing many of their most prominent candidates from openly campaigning.

But the militant group has targeted moderate parties in their bid to undermine May 11 general elections, not religious ones like the Jamiat Ulema-e- Islam.