BANNU: Federal Minister Akram Khan Durrani narrowly escaped an attack on his life after an improvised explosive device hit his convoy in Bannu on Thursday, killing two policemen. The Station House Officer (SHO) of Bakakhel police station said that Akram Khan Durrani, a JUI-F stalwart and the federal minister for Housing and Works, was on his way to Bannu after holding a political rally in Bakakhel area when his convoy came under attack. “Five more people were injured in the blast but the minister remained unhurt,” confirmed the SHO. Security forces reached the blast site soon after the attack and cordoned off the area, while the injured were shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital in Bannu. Police said the killed were identified as Ehsan s/o Ghulam Daud and Arif s/o Ejaz. The injured were identified as Abid Khan, driver of an ambulance, Shireen Khan, tubewell operator, and Abdul Rauf dispenser. This was the first such attack on Durrani. However, party chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has been previously targeted thrice in suicide attacks. Last year, the JUI-F chief survived a suicide attack on his convoy in Quetta but an activist of his party was killed and 22 others wounded. Back in October, a similar IED blast killed a tribal leader Syed Ali in Nullah Tochi area of the district. Syed Ali and his son were passing by the area in a vehicle when a remote-controlled IED detonated. President Mamnoon Hussain strongly condemned attack on the convoy of Durrani. In a statement, the president said a decisive action was being taken to overcome the unrest despite cowardly attacks by the terrorists. He prayed for forgiveness of those martyred in the attack and courage for the bereaved families to bear the loss with fortitude. He also directed the authorities concerned to provide best possible medical facilities for treatment of the injured persons. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also strongly condemned the attack. The prime minister, who is in Malta to represent Pakistan at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, also expressed sorrow over the death of two men in the attack.