At least 40 killed over 200 injured in blast in ruling party gathering in NW Pakistan

July 30, 2023

By The South Asia Times

BAJAUR, Pakistan - At least 40 people were killed and over 200 others wounded when a powerful explosion hit a gathering of the ruling party in Bajaur district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

According to local officials, a suicide bomber targeted the gathering of Jamiat-e-Ulame Islam (Fazlurehman group) in Bajaur when hundreds of local workers of the party were gathering for political jalsa.

“This was a suicide bombing,” Nazir Khan, district police officer told reporters.

Maulana Fazlurehman, chief of the ruling Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), is a coalition of political parties in Pakistan, ruling since April 2022 in the country.

Rescue teams have shifted over 200 injured into different hospitals while army helicopters also transferred critical injured to Peshawar.

So far no militant group claimed responsibility for attack.

Meanwhile, Afghan Taliban strongly condemned the attack on JUI gathering and called it unacceptable act.

“The Emirate of Islamia condemns the blast that took place at a Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam program in Bajaur Agency of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.The Islamic Emirate expresses its deepest condolences to the bereaved families and prays for Jannat al-Firdous for the martyrs and speedy recovery of the injured. Such attacks are unacceptable,” Zabihullah Mujahid said in a statement.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also condemned the attack and ordered for immediate inquiry.