Islamabad, March 13, – A senior government official and two other people were killed in a hand grenade attack and firing in Pakistan’s volatile North Waziristan tribal region on Tuesday, officials in the region said.

Azmat Jamal, Assistant Political Agent, in Mir Ali, a main town in North Waziristan was among the three persons killed in the attack, they said.

The official was holding meeting with local tribal elders in his office about construction of a road when unidentified men hurled grenade and later opened fire.

The official was immediately shifted to an army hospital in Bannu, a man town near North Waziristan, where he died of wounds. Two local tribesmen were also killed in the attack.

No group claimed responsibility for the attack.

Motives behind the attack were unclear and the powerful Taliban group in the region has denied any involvement.

Section of local media also reported that the attack could be a suicide bombing. But there was no official word on the whole incident.

The local Taliban group led by Hafiz Gul Bahadar had struck a peace deal with the security forces in 2007 and both sides do not attack each other.

Officials say that there are splinter militant groups in North Waziristan and they are blamed for attacks on security forces and local government officials.//IRNA