A blast on Sunday in Khar tehsil of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bajaur district took a severe toll, claiming the lives of at least 40 individuals and leaving over 150 injured.
A horrendous bomb blast ripped through the assembly of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) workers’ convention, where an estimated 400 people were present.
Among those tragically lost in this act of terror were JUI-F Khar Ameer Maulana Ziaullah Jan and Hamidullah. A cameraman for a private news channel, Samiullah, was also among those injured.
The bomb’s devastating impact resulted in injuries for 200 individuals, as reported by the Caretaker KP Information Minister, prompting hospitals in Bajaur and adjacent areas to be put on high alert. The critically injured were prepared to be transported to Peshawar.
High-Level Responses and Actions
In response to this devastating event, Pakistan Army dispatched three helicopters to partake in the rescue mission. The critically injured, up to 10, were ferried to Peshawar’s Lady Reading Hospital. Meanwhile, Major General Noor Wali Khan, Inspector General Frontier Corps (IG FC), arrived in Bajaur to personally oversee the rescue operations.
Despite initial reports suggesting 35 fatalities, KP Governor Ghulam Ali confirmed the death toll to be 30 in the bomb explosion, with nearly 150 injured individuals, including several in critical condition, being rushed to the nearby hospital.
JUI-F central leader Hafiz Hamdullah, who was scheduled to attend the convention but couldn’t due to a busy agenda, condemned the incident as an act of terrorism aimed at creating chaos. Calls for a high-level inquiry into the attack were made by JUI-F supremo Maulana Fazlur Rehman, who appealed to the JUI-F workers to maintain peace and rush to hospitals to donate blood for the injured.
Political Reactions and Condemnations
The incident saw a wave of condemnation from politicians, including Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who expressed condolences to the bereaved families and called for the federal and KP governments to take immediate action to bring the culprits to justice. Asif Ali Zardari, PPP co-chairman, echoed the sentiment, urging the eradication of terrorist hideouts nationwide.
Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Ameer Sirajul Haq also condemned the attack and emphasized the government’s responsibility to ensure the safety of its citizens and political leaders.
 workers' convention in Khar, Bajaur resulted in several injuries. Immediate rescue efforts were launched, transporting around 20 injured individuals to nearby medical facilities. Investigation ongoing){kind=link}