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By The South Asia Times

ISLAMABAD – The death toll from a deadly attack on passenger vans in Pakistan's northwestern Kurram district has risen to 42, with 18 injured currently receiving treatment in local hospitals, officials confirmed on Friday.

The attack took place in the Lower Kurram area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where gunmen opened fire on a convoy of vans carrying passengers. According to eyewitnesses, the assailants ambushed the vehicles on a narrow road, indiscriminately firing at close range.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, addressing the media in Islamabad, confirmed the updated toll. “The death toll has climbed to 42, and 18 others are injured,” he said.

Emergency response teams transported the wounded to hospitals in Parachinar, the district headquarters, where doctors have declared several cases as critical.

Local police said the attackers targeted a convoy of passenger vans traveling through a mountainous region. Several women and children were among the casualties, highlighting the indiscriminate nature of the assault.

Police believe the ambush was related to ongoing tribal tensions in the area, but investigations are underway to determine if militant groups were involved. Authorities have not ruled out the possibility of the attack being a spillover from tribal disputes or a terrorist act aimed at destabilizing the region.

The Kurram district, located near the Afghan border, has long been a hotspot for violence, driven by tribal rivalries, sectarian tensions, and militant activity.

• Recent Clashes: In September, tribal clashes claimed at least 46 lives before elders brokered a fragile cease-fire. However, tensions have persisted, with occasional flare-ups of violence.
• Road Blockages: Earlier this month, local tribes blocked roads in protest over unresolved disputes. The roads were only recently reopened by the local administration to restore traffic flow.
• Kurram’s proximity to Afghanistan has made it vulnerable to cross-border militancy and local disputes, often escalating into violence. The district has witnessed a resurgence of attacks in recent months, reflecting a broader deterioration in security across northwestern Pakistan.