PESHAWAR, May 24: A suicide bomber blew himself up near the vehicle of Haji Hayatullah, a leader of Afghan Jamaatud Dawa Al Quran Al Sunnat, on Friday.

Haji Hayatullah, who runs his Jamia Darul Uloom Islamia, was not in the vehicle. His drive and a guard were killed in the attack.

Haji Hayatullah is said to be a nephew of Maulvi Jamilur Rehman, an Afghan war veteran. Maulvi Rehman was a senior leader of the group.

According to an eyewitness, the vehicle was hit by the bomber as soon as it came out of the seminary. Haji Hayatullah was still inside the seminary in Saeedabad locality on the Pejagi Road.

SP Khalid Hamdani said it was a suicide attack and the target was Haji Hayatullah. The bomber hit the vehicle from the driver’s side. Sources said Haji Hayatullah had been receiving threats for some time.

Shafaqat Malik of the bomb disposal unit said the explosives used in the attack weighed 5 to 6 kilograms.

A spokesperson of the hospital said three bodies had been brought to the hospital. Two of them were said to be of the driver and guard and the third one which was beyond recognition was believed to be of the suicide bomber.