Rehman was on his way to address a public rally in the town of Charsaddah Town when the attack happened. At least 13 people were killed and over 40 others were injured. A police van escorting Rehman was also hit.
Rehman was accompanied by members of his party including Azam Swati and Akram Durrani, former chief minister of Khyber Pakhtoonkhawa province.
Durrani said: “I was traveling in a separate vehicle. To my knowledge 13 people including one policeman and two guards from the Elite Force were killed.”
After the attack, Rehman did not address the rally. He told Khyber TV he was not hurt but some of his party workers were injured. He said the blast took place in another vehicle and that his own vehicle was slightly damaged.
He said: “I do not know who was after me. I am working for peace and my party is against drone attacks on Pakistan soil. I feel my party members are under threat.” He said two of his bodyguards were injured in the attack.
“At least 13 people were martyred including four police officials and 42 others were wounded in the suicide bombing,” senior administration official Ajmal Khan told media men.
“The bomber was on foot and he jumped on the main road in front of the police vehicle and detonated his explosive when the convoy of Maulana Fazlur Rehman was coming,” Khan said.
A reporter at the site of the blast said the bombing left seven shops and three vehicles wrecked, with walls scarred by blood spots and pellet marks. Fruit from nearby stalls littered the ground, scattered among quantities of broken glass.
“I was sitting in my shop when a I heard an ear-splitting blast. I saw a fireball on the road and then smoke filled the area. I was not hurt but I have difficulty in hearing now,” fruit vendor Shaukat Khan said.
On Wednesday near Sawabi Interchange, a suicide bomber riding a motorcycle attacked a police checkpoint killing 13 people. It was unclear if the bomber specifically targeted the supporters of Rehman or they just happened to be there when the blast took place.
Rehman has been an outspoken supporter of the Afghan Taleban, but some militants in Pakistan have shown a willingness to attack anyone connected to the government.
