A policeman was martyred while three were injured on Sunday when their vehicle, part of a convoy escorting dignitaries from 12 countries, was caught in an explosion on Malam Jabba Road in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Swat district, police said.

Swat Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Muhammad Ali Khan told Dawn.com that delegations from Indonesia, Portugal, Kazakhstan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Turkmenistan, Vietnam, Iran, Russia, and Tajikistan were a part of the convoy.

“As a result of the blast, Constable Burhan has embraced martyrdom, while three other policemen, including Sub-Inspector Sar Zameen, Constable Amanullah, and Constable Habib Gul, have sustained injuries,” Khan said.

He added that a heavy contingent of police had reached the incident site and relief work was underway, adding that the affected area had been cordoned off, while the police had started a search operation to look for suspects.

According to the DIG, the explosion was caused by a remote-controlled IED.

“All the ambassadors remained safe in the attack and had been shifted to a safe place before their departure to Islamabad,” the DIG told Reuters.

The diplomats were visiting the area at the invitation of a local chamber of commerce.

No one has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.

‘Vehicle hit a mine’

Meanwhile, the Russian Embassy in Islamabad took to the X platform and announced that the vehicle leading the diplomats’ convoy “hit a mine” in Mingora.

“On September 22, Ambassador Albert P. Khorev, along with several other Ambassadors, took part in the Swat Tourism Summit organised by the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry,” the embassy said.

“On the way to the hotel from the town of Mingora in Khyber Pakhtunkwa, an escort vehicle hit a mine. Several policemen were injured, diplomats were not harmed.”

‘Provincial govt encouraging terrorism’

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi condemned the attack on the convoy and expressed regret and sorrow while calling out the PTI-led provincial government for not being able to curb terrorism.

“The provincial government is not sincere in establishing peace and their behaviour is encouraging terrorists,” he said. “The attack on the police in Swat is a conspiracy of forces hostile to Islam and Pakistan.”

Rise in terrorist attacks

The country has lately witnessed a sharp uptick in the number of attacks targeting security forces, other law enforcement agencies, and security checkpoints, particularly in KP and Balochistan.

Attacks escalated after the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban (TTP) broke a fragile ceasefire agreement with the government in 2022 and vowed to target security forces.

Last month, the Banr police station in Swat came under a militant attack, which left a policeman martyred and two others wounded.

Reacting to the rise in attacks against the police, residents of Swat and Lower Dir took to the streets on August 17, demanding the arrest of the perpetrators.

Meanwhile, the Swat Qaumi Jirga on August 21 declared that the Malakand division, particularly Swat, would “not tolerate the presence of any terrorist in the region”.

The jirga members had further stated that in case of negligence and failure of the government, the people must be ready to implement the devised plan to protect their lives, property, and honour.

A resolution passed on the occasion strongly demanded that the government provide “reasonable compensation” to the family of the martyred policemen and financial support to those injured in the line of duty.

This is a developing story that is being updated as the situation evolves. Initial reports in the media can sometimes be inaccurate. We will strive to ensure timeliness and accuracy by relying on credible sources such as concerned, qualified authorities and our staff reporters.