Death toll from suicide attack rises to 17 in northwest Pakistan
The death toll in a suicide attack on a police station during a peace rally in northwest Pakistan rose to 17 on Monday, August 3, after three more people succumbed to injuries, police said.
The suicide blast took place when the Swat Peace Rally was in progress right across the police station in Kabal town in Swat district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Sunday.
The bomber detonated his explosives when policemen tried to stop and search him at the entrance to the police station. Fourteen people, including five security men, were killed and over a dozen were injured in the suicide attack on Sunday, officials said.
On Monday, three injured people succumbed to their injuries at a hospital, taking the death toll to 17, including seven police personnel and 10 civilians, police said.
No group or individual has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Police said that 12 injured people are currently under treatment at Saidu Sharif Teaching Hospital, including eight police personnel and four civilians.
Malakand Deputy Inspector General Syed Fida Hussain said the suicide bomber, believed to be a member of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), attempted to enter the police station but was stopped by a police officer before reaching inside.
"The attacker then detonated explosives at the police station's main gate," he said, adding that the police lines and other sensitive government installations were located nearby.
Police have registered a terrorism case with the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) over the suicide attack. A joint Investigation Team has been constituted to conduct a comprehensive probe into the incident.
According to the FIR lodged at CTD Police Station Swat, a protest organised by the Pasoon organisation was underway at Kabal Chowk, having started at around 4:00 pm, when the attack took place.
The FIR stated that at approximately 6:04 pm, a powerful suicide blast struck the main gate of Kabal Police Station, leaving several police personnel and civilians dead and injured.
It said initial suspicion points to the involvement of banned TTP commander Muzaffar and his associates in carrying out the attack.
Inspector General of Police Zulfiqar Hameed said that the timely action of the police personnel prevented a much larger tragedy.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi reached Swat on Monday and met with the victims' families. He also chaired a high-level meeting at the Jirga Hall in Saidu Sharif. He directed the relevant authorities to launch a full-scale operation against terrorists and ensure that peace and stability were restored.
The Swat Peace Rally was organised by Swat Aman Jirga (local tribal council) with participants raising slogans and carrying placards to demand peace in the area.
They alleged that police inaction has resulted in a deterioration in the security situation in the past few months.
