- The blast targeted the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F (JUI-F) party
- JUI-F chief has demanded of the PM and interim chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa conduct an inquiry into the Bajaur blast
BAJAUR,Khyber Pakhtunkhwa:A devastating explosion rocked a political gathering in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of northwestern Pakistan, claiming the lives of at least 44 individuals and leaving 200 wounded. The incident occurred during a gathering of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F (JUI-F) party, where over 400 members and supporters had assembled under a large tent in the town of Khar, near the border with Afghanistan, on Sunday.
According to reports, emergency officials confirmed the death toll to be 40, while at least 120 people were reported to have sustained injuries. The health minister for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province corroborated the fatalities, stating that 39 individuals had lost their lives, with 123 others being treated for various degrees of injuries.
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The JUI-F, a political party that is part of the government coalition, was the target of the blast. JUI-F chief, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, has called on Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the interim chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to conduct an inquiry into the tragic event that unfolded in the former tribal area of Bajaur.
According to Akhtar Hayat Gandapur, the inspector general of police for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, a senior leader from the JUI-F was scheduled to address the ceremony when the bomb exploded, turning the occasion into a scene of chaos and sorrow.
The incident underscores the resurgence of militant attacks in Pakistan since the breakdown of a ceasefire between the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the government in Islamabad last year. The TTP, which aligns itself with Afghanistan’s Taliban militants, has been accused by the Pakistani government of finding safe havens near the border in the Taliban-controlled regions.
As the nation mourns this tragic loss of life, authorities are likely to intensify their efforts to address the ongoing security challenges posed by extremist elements.
