The large 4pm explosion threw asunder a gathering of greater than 400 JUI-F members and supporters at a market in Bajaur’s Khar tehsil. JUI-F is a part of the Pakistan Democratic Motion, a coalition that has been in authorities since April 2022.
Akhtar Hayat Gandapur, the police chief of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, mentioned a suicide bomber triggered the explosion simply earlier than the arrival of the get together’s senior management on the venue.
Dr Faisal Kamal, the district well being officer, confirmed 43 deaths, whereas Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s well being minister Riaz Anwar described the situation of at the very least 17 of the wounded as crucial.
Faisal Kamal, a senior well being officer, mentioned greater than 150 wounded folks had been delivered to Bajaur’s district headquarters hospital, whereas these in a crucial situation have been being moved to Woman Studying Hospital in Peshawar.
The province’s interim CM, Azam Khan, sought a report on the explosion from police and directed authorities to offer the very best medical therapy to the wounded.
Footage confirmed panic-stricken folks gathering on the website following the blast as ambulances arrived to maneuver the wounded to hospitals. Afterwards, a big police contingent cordoned off the world.
JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman urged PM Shehbaz Sharif and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa authorities to launch an inquiry into the explosion.
He appealed to his get together employees to instantly attain hospitals and supply blood donations.
PM Sharif condemned the blast, saying it was a travesty that terrorists had focused those that advocated the reason for Islam, the Quran and Pakistan.
“Terrorists are enemies of Pakistan, and they are going to be eradicated,” he mentioned.
Former PM Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) get together mentioned Khyber Pakhtunkhwa “should not be allowed to bleed once more”.
Whereas no outfit had claimed accountability for the assault till late Sunday, the needle of suspicion pointed to Tehreek-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which has been accountable for many of the earlier assaults within the area.
TTP has declared battle on Pakistan’s safety forces, the federal government and constituents of Sharif’s coalition.
For a very long time, Pakistan’s tribal areas have been strongholds of TTP, however militancy within the area declined following navy offensives there prior to now. With the return of the Afghan Taliban in neighbouring Afghanistan in August 2021, Pakistan has seen an uptick in violence within the border areas, notably after a fragile ceasefire between TTP and Islamabad led to November final 12 months.
Earlier this month, Pakistan’s armed forces had expressed severe issues on the alleged secure havens and liberty of motion accessible to the banned TTP in Afghanistan.
“The involvement of Afghan nationals in acts of terrorism in Pakistan is one other essential concern that must be addressed. Such assaults are insupportable and would elicit an efficient response from the safety forces of Pakistan,” it mentioned.Watch Pakistan: 40 people dead, 200 injured in massive suicide blast at rally
