PESHAWAR, Pakistan — A suicide bomber targeted protesters at an antimilitant rally in northwestern Pakistan on Sunday, killing at least 14 people, mostly civilians and police officers, and wounding more than two dozen others, reports BritPanorama.
The attack occurred in Kabal, a town in Swat Valley in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where demonstrators had gathered near a police station, chanting antimilitant slogans and demanding peace, according to district police chief Omar Khan.
Witnesses indicated that shortly before the attack, speakers at the rally underscored the state’s obligation to ensure security and eradicate militancy. They accused the authorities of failing to act decisively against these threats, emphasizing the community’s desire to live free from the fears stemming from years of violence that have plagued the region.
Bilal Faizi, a spokesperson for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial emergency service, reported that the attacker struck while many were voicing their demands for peace. Police official Omar Khan confirmed that at least nine civilians and five officers were among the deceased.
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the bombing, expressing heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and directing officials to ensure the wounded receive optimal medical care. Both leaders reiterated the nation’s commitment to combat terrorism until it is fully eradicated.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also condemned the attack, extending sympathies to the affected families and praying for the swift recovery of the injured.
The Swat Valley had previously served as a stronghold for Islamic militants who imposed a stringent interpretation of Sharia law, until a major military operation in 2007 restored government control. Recently, however, there has been a resurgence of militant activity, raising concerns that the Pakistani Taliban are attempting to regain influence in the area. In reaction, residents have organized anti-Taliban protests throughout the valley.
No group claimed immediate responsibility for the bombing, but suspicion is likely to fall on the Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). This group operates independently yet maintains allegiance with Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban, whose leaders and fighters have found refuge in Afghanistan since the return of the Taliban to power in 2021.
Pakistan has consistently accused Afghanistan’s Taliban government of sheltering TTP militants, a claim that Kabul denies.
The country has seen a troubling rise in militant attacks in recent years, particularly targeting police and security forces. On Friday, Pakistan’s military spokesman Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry reported that 3,145 “terrorism incidents” have been recorded since January, with 2,084 militants killed during operations and 819 Pakistanis, including soldiers, police officers, and civilians, losing their lives.
Chaudhry added that Afghan-based militants have conducted 28 suicide attacks in Pakistan since the start of the year, alleging that most were orchestrated by Afghan nationals or individuals linked to Afghan security forces. He emphasized that the TTP and other militant factions continue to launch attacks within Pakistan with support from the Taliban government of Afghanistan, asserting that the country will persist in targeting the TTP and dismantling its support structures.
