44 dead as blast rips through a political party workers' convention in Pakistani city of Bajaur
Governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Haji Ghulam Ali, prays along with people while visiting a man, who was injured, after a blast in Bajaur, at LRH in Peshawar, on Sunday. Reuters
Tariq Butt, Correspondent / Agencies
At least 44 people were killed and over 200 wounded, including children, on Sunday by a suicide bombing at a political gathering of a leading Islamic party in northwest Pakistan, officials said.
The blast targeted the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) party — a government coalition partner led by an influential cleric — as hundreds of supporters congregated under a canopy in the town of Khar, Bajaur, near the Afghan border.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Caretaker Health Minister Riaz Anwar told AFP that 44 people had been confirmed killed. “It was a suicide attack, with the bomber detonating himself in close proximity to the stage,” he added. The provincial police chief Akhtar Hayat told Reuters the explosion was caused by a suicide bomb.
KP Caretaker Information Minister Firoz Shah Jamal confirmed the death toll. The deaths are feared to rise because a number of injured persons were in serious conditions.
Prime Minister Shabaz Sharif and President Arif Alvi strongly condemned the attack and asked officials to provide all possible assistance to the wounded and the bereaved families.
Shahbaz said terrorists targeted those who advocated the cause of Islam, the Holy Quran and Pakistan. "Terrorists are enemies of Pakistan and they will be eliminated,” he asserted in a statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office, adding that elements involved in the incident would be meted out strict punishment. He also sought a report of the incident from Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and the government of KP.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but the local chapter of Daesh group has recently carried out attacks against JUI-F.
"The tent had collapsed on one side, trapping people who were desperately attempting to escape," said Abdullah Khan, who tried to help the victims.
"There was utter confusion, with human flesh, limbs, and body parts scattered throughout the area, alongside lifeless bodies." Sabeeh Ullah, a 24-year-old party supporter who had his arm fractured by the blast, said the scale of injuries was horrifying.
"I found myself lying next to someone who had lost their limbs. The air was filled with the smell of human flesh," he told AFP by phone.
Caretaker Information Minister Jamal said hospitals across Bajaur and neighbouring areas had been put on high alert. "We are trying to move critical patients to Peshawar and other hospitals through helicopters. Our utmost priority right now is to provide medical treatment to the injured. The blast site has been cordoned off. The Pakistan army and other institutions are assisting us in the operation,” he added.
Meanwhile, Bajaur District Emergency Officer Saad Khan said that Maulana Ziaullah Jan, JUI-F chief in Khar tehsil, was also killed in the blast. A journalist is said to be among those injured. Bajaur District Health Officer Faisal Kamal said more than 150 injured people had been brought to the Bajaur District Headquarters Hospital while those in critical condition were being moved to the Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) in Peshawar.
Rahim Shah, a witness, said more than 500 people were attending the convention when the blast occurred. "We were listening to a speech when a powerful explosion knocked me unconscious,” he said. Shah said that when he regained consciousness, there was blood everywhere. "People were screaming and even shots were fired,” he added.
KP Governor Haji Ghulam Ali said in a statement that a helicopter had been sent to Bajaur for the transfer of wounded people.
JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, in a statement, expressed grief over the incident. He sought an inquiry into the attack from Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and the KP government. "May Allah raise the ranks of martyrs,” he said and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured. He also appealed to JUI-F workers to immediately reach hospitals and provide blood donations.
