Authorities in northwestern Pakistan arrested a suspected suicide bomber on Sunday as the toll in a suicide attack on an election rally rose to 27 following the death of two injured persons.

An Afghan national named Muhammad Ibrahim Afghani was arrested at Jamrud in the Khyber Agency, Dawn news channel quoted political authorities in the lawless tribal area as saying.

Afghani, who allegedly had a suicide jacket in his possession, was taken to North West Frontier Province capital Peshawar for questioning, officials said.