A bomb ripped through a workers' convention of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) in the Bajaur Tribal District on Sunday, killing at least 40 people and injuring 150 others.
Local media reported that a workers' convention of the JUI was underway in Khar Tehsil of Bajaur. JUI's Maulana Laiq was giving a speech to some 500 workers and supporters of JUI at around 4 pm when the bomb exploded inside the convention enclosure.
A video of the blast, posted online, showed that the explosives were detonated nearer to the stage where there was a large concentration of JUI leaders and workers. JUI's Khar Tehsil Chapter Amir Maulana Ziaullah Jan was confirmed by the party, to have perished in the attack.
JUI's Khar Tehsil Chapter Amir Maulana Ziaullah Jan who was martyred in the attack.
JUI spokesperson for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Abdul Jalil Jan told media outlets that JUI MNA Maulana Jamaluddin and Senator Abdur Rasheed were also present at the convention at the time of the attack. There were unconfirmed reports that Maulana Hameedullah Haqqani, JUI-F's General Secretary from the Nawagai Tehsil in Buner, was present in the convention and was impacted by the blast.
The dead and injured were rushed to the District Headquarters Hospital (DHQ). The Bajaur district emergency officer said that they are shifting those with more serious injuries to hospitals in Timergarah and Peshawar.
"I can confirm that in the hospital we have 39 dead bodies, with 123 wounded that includes 17 patients in a serious condition," stated Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Interim Health Minister Riaz Anwar.
Police said that at least 35 people seriously injured in the blast were shifted to Timergarah.
Those suffering from serious injuries were evacuated to Peshawar via army helicopters.
The authorities have yet to confirm the nature of the blast, whether it was carried out via a planted device or a suicide bomber.
However, Malakand regional police officer said that initial information suggests it could be caused by a suicide bomber, but it will be confirmed once investigations are complete.
Urging calm
Meanwhile, the JUI has strongly condemned the incident. Party chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman in a message through JUI's official Twitter account, expressed his grief and deep sorrow over the attack.
Rehman, who is also the president of the rainbow coalition that forms the federal government - Pakistan Democratic Movement, demanded that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and caretaker Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister conduct a formal inquiry into the attack.
Urging calm, he directed workers of the party to get to the hospitals where the injured had been taken to facilitate the care being provided to them, including through blood donations.
Afghan Taliban condemn Bajaur attack
The interim Afghan Taliban government has strongly condemned the explosion during a workers’ convention of JUI in Bajaur on Sunday, causing over 40 deaths and 150 injuries.
In a tweet, the Spokesman of Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Zabihullah Mujahid, expressed his deep condolences to the families affected by the blast.
He offered his prayers for the souls of the martyrs and also prayed for a swift recovery of the injured victims.
The spokesman emphasised that such attacks have no justification whatsoever and reiterated the Afghan government’s commitment to denouncing violence and promoting peace and stability in the region.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far, but a local chapter of the Islamic State (IS) group has targetted the JUI-F in the past.
