• Security official sees IS-K involvement in what they call ‘suicide bombing’
• Emergency declared in KP hospitals, death toll likely to rise
• Over 150 wounded; local leader, his son among the dead
• Investigation launched to ascertain the nature of explosion

BAJAUR / PESHAWAR: At least 42 people were killed and over 150 others injured in Khar, a tehsil of Bajaur, after a powerful explosion ripped through a political gathering organised by the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl on Sunday.

According to eyewitnesses, hundreds of party workers along with local leaders were present at the gathering when the blast occurred.

The bomb went off when a party leader was addressing the convention. JUI-F officials told Dawn that the party’s Khar General Secretary Ziaullah, JUI-F District Press Secretary Mujahid Khan and his son were among the dead.

They feared a rise in the death toll.

According to the district administration and Rescue 1122 officials, the explosion occurred at 4pm near the Shandi area, some 2km from Khar.

Security officials believed that it was a “suicide attack”, with a senior official claiming that the militant Islamic State (Islamic State in Khorasan, or IS-K) group was possibly involved in the attack. “There is no question about it,” the official said.

No one had claimed responsibility till the filing of this report. “There was no threat of bombing in the district,” security officials told Dawn.

It may be noted that reports had indicated the presence of IS-K in the district. In June, the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) had neutralised three IS-K men in the tribal district, they said.

Injured moved to Peshawar

Security sources said helicopters were shifting the injured persons to the provincial capital.

At least 10 critically wounded persons were airlifted to Peshawar whereas another 12, currently at Bajaur Scouts Hospital, were slated to be moved to the provincial capital.

Inspector General (IG) Frontier Corps Maj Gen Noor Wali Khan was also present to ensure the injured persons were provided treatment immediately, security officials said.

Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Anwarul Haq said that at least 15 wounded were airlifted to Peshawar while about 16 were referred to different cities owing to their precarious condition.

Mahibullah Khan Yousafazi, assistant commissioner of Khar subdivision, told Dawn that the toll could rise as the condition of some wounded persons was critical. At least 150 people were injured in the blast, he said.After the incident, scores of Rescue 1122 workers along with local people immediately rushed to the site and started shifting the dead and wounded to the district headquarters hospital in Khar where an emergency had been declared.

Senior administration and police officials, including the Bajaur deputy commissioner, visited the district headquarters hospital in Khar to oversee the treatment. They told reporters that an investigation had been launched to ascertain the nature of the blast and to apprehend the culprits.

‘Emergency declared’

Emergency was declared in hospitals in the provincial capital. The caretaker minister for information informed that 16 injured persons were shifted to the provincial capital.

Saad Khan, head of Bajaur Rescue 1122, told Dawn that over eight ambulances and dozens of officials took part in the rescue operation.

According to Bilal Faizi, a spokesperson for Rescue 1122, some of the injured persons were also shifted to a Timargarah hospital in Lower Dir. He added that seven ambulances were dispatched to Bacha Khan International Airport in Peshawar so that the injured persons, being airlifted from Bajaur, could be shifted to the hospitals in the provincial capital. He informed Dawn that seven injured were shifted to Combined Military Hospital (CMH), Peshawar.

JUI-F district Chief Maulana Abdur Rasheed, while talking to reporters late on Sunday evening, denounced the blast. He urged the district administration and police to investigate the bombing to provide justice to the victims.

Condemnations

The blast drew across-the-board condemnations as well. KP Governor Ghulam Ali, Caretaker Chief Minister Muhammad Azam Khan and other politicians also condemned the explosion. Mr Khan also ordered the police to submit a report pertaining to the blast.

Awami National Party’s provincial president Aimal Wali stated that the militants’ facilitators were responsible and said that those calling the militants ‘fighters’ were responsible for the current situation.

“The only solution to counter militancy is to implement the National Action Plan. ANP stands by with the affected families and the JUI-F,” Mr Wali said in a statement.

Iran and the United States denounced the bombing and expressed sympathies with the families of the victims.

“We strongly condemn this heinous act of violence, which resulted in the loss of innocent lives and caused harm to many others. Such acts of terror have no place in a peaceful and democratic society. We stand in solidarity with the people of Pakistan during this difficult time,” a statement issued by the US embassy in Islamabad read.

“We reiterate our commitment to supporting Pakistan’s efforts in combating terrorism and ensuring the safety and security of its citizens.”

Published in Dawn, July 31st, 2023