Swat – At least 15 people, including six police personnel, were martyred and dozens of others injured in a suicide bombing outside Kabal Police Station in Swat on Sunday, in one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in recent months.
According to District Police Officer (DPO) Muhammad Omer, the attacker attempted to enter the police station but detonated his explosives after being stopped by security personnel at the main gate. The powerful explosion killed 15 people, including six policemen, while several others sustained injuries. Police said around 25 critically injured victims were shifted to Saidu Sharif Teaching Hospital, where an emergency was declared.
Malakand Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Syed Fida Hussain said the timely action of the police prevented the bomber from entering the police station, where police lines and other sensitive government installations are located. However, the blast caused heavy casualties outside the premises.
The explosion occurred as hundreds of people were participating in a public demonstration at nearby Kabal Chowk against the recent resurgence of terrorism in Swat. Panic gripped the gathering as the blast struck while a speaker was addressing the crowd.
Security forces immediately cordoned off the area, launched a search operation and began collecting evidence. Rescue 1122 deployed 13 ambulances and more than 45 rescue personnel to evacuate the injured. Rescue spokesperson Bilal Ahmad Faizi said emergency teams provided first aid at the scene before shifting the wounded to various hospitals.
No group had claimed responsibility for the attack till the filing of this report.
Before the blast, speakers at the anti-terrorism rally had urged the government to restore lasting peace in Swat, saying law and order was the state’s responsibility. They criticised the authorities for failing to eliminate terrorist networks despite repeated public concerns and stressed that local communities wanted education, security and a peaceful future for their families.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the suicide attack, expressing deep sorrow over the loss of lives. He offered condolences to the bereaved families, prayed for the elevation of the ranks of the martyrs and directed authorities to ensure the best possible medical treatment for the injured. The prime minister reiterated that the fight against terrorism would continue until the menace was completely eradicated.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi also condemned the attack, saying terrorists could never weaken the nation’s resolve through such cowardly acts. He paid tribute to the sacrifices of police personnel and Pakistan Army soldiers for maintaining peace and security.
Chief Minister Sohail Afridi sought a detailed report from the provincial inspector general of police, expressed condolences to the families of the martyrs and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured. He said the KP Police continued to make immense sacrifices for the protection of people’s lives and property and vowed that enemies of peace would never succeed.
Provincial Health Minister Khaliq-ur-Rehman also condemned the attack and expressed sympathy with the affected families while directing hospitals to provide the best available treatment to the injured.
The attack came amid a sharp rise in militant violence across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Earlier on Sunday, two policemen were injured in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast near the Peshawar-Islamabad Motorway toll plaza, while nine policemen were martyred in a terrorist attack on a police checkpost in Hangu on July 30.
According to the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, excluding the merged districts, recorded 154 terrorism-related deaths in July compared with 75 in June, highlighting the worsening security situation in the province.
