A suspected suicide bomber has blown himself up outside the house of a Pakistani MP, killing at least 15 people and wounding another 40, according to police.

The attack on Monday occurred in the town of Bhakkar, in the central Punjab province, officials said.

Khadim Hussain, a senior police officer, said: "It was a suicide attack, the head of the bomber has been recovered.

"The bomber walked up to the MP's house and detonated himself in the midst of a crowd of party workers, supporters and relatives."

Akbar, who is a member of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N), the party of Nawaz Sharif, a former prime-minister, was reportedly injured in the attack.

Many wounded

"We are told that at least 15 people have been killed in that attack, that eight are critically wounded and a total of 40 are woundeed."

"We are told that this area has been the scene of sectarian violence. Only last week a suicide bomber had been arrested here.

"Parts of the Punjab have now become hubs of activity by certain organisation s which have been banned and the government has been hunting them down.

"So there is likely a sectarian element here."

The PML-N formally left Pakistan's ruling coalition last month.

Punjab is Pakistan's most populous and prosperous province.

It has not been subject to the significant waves of violence that have hit other areas of the nation, for instance in the northern border regions with Afghanistan.

However, the Punjab is only 40 km away from the North West Frontier Province, on the border with Afghanistan.

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