Peshawar: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police has indicated the involvement of terrorist organisation Daesh in the suicide attack on the convention of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) at Bajaur. The attack killed 46 people and injured over 100 people.
District Police Officer (DPO) Nazir Khan said that an emergency was imposed across all hospitals in Bajaur & adjoining areas. Military helicopters were used to transport injured citizens to Peshawar hospitals from Bajaur. Peshawar police briefed that the investigation is under process. However, the initial reports suggest the involvement of the banned outfit Daesh. Nazir Khan also updated that three people were taken in custody for investigation.
Since 2022, a surge in attacks by extremist groups has occurred after the ceasefire broke down between Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Islamabad. One of the fatal attacks was the Peshawar mosque bombing – killing over 100 people. During the first half of 2023, the statistical report released by the independent think tank Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) showed that terror activities in the country have soared by 79 per cent.
UN Security Council has said that TTP and Al Qaeda might merge to form an umbrella organisation, under which several militant groups of South Asia would continue their operations.
Maulana Fazlur Rehman (Chief of JUI-F) has asked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and KP Caretaker Chief Minister Azam Khan to probe into the investigation of the horrific incident. PM Shehbaz, while condemning the blast, termed the blast an attack on the democratic process of Pakistan & vowed to punish those who are responsible for the blast.
The top brass of the Pakistan Army said that the major reasons impacting the security of Pakistan are sanctuaries and liberty of action available to TTP terrorists and other groups linked with Afghanistan.