PESHAWAR, Pakistan, Aug. 3 (ANI): A devastating suicide bombing targeted the Kabal police station in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Swat district on Sunday, killing at least 14 people, including police personnel, and injuring 18 others, Pakistani daily Dawn reported.
The explosion occurred when a suicide bomber detonated explosives after police personnel attempted to intercept and search him at the entrance to the police facility, according to Swat District Police Officer Umar Khan.
The attack took place near Kabal Chowk, where hundreds of residents had gathered for a large public demonstration against the surge in terrorism in the Swat Valley, highlighting growing public anger over the state’s failure to maintain security.
Swat police spokesperson Nasir Iqbal Karimi confirmed the death toll to Dawn as security forces cordoned off the area and launched a forensic investigation.
Rescue 1122 spokesperson Bilal Ahmed Faizi told Dawn that nine bodies were taken to Central Hospital Saidu Sharif, while five were transported to Kabal Hospital. He added that two of the injured remained in critical condition.
The powerful blast triggered widespread panic among participants in the demonstration just as the final speaker was addressing the rally. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Speakers at the anti-terrorism rally before the explosion condemned the resurgence of militant violence in Swat and demanded immediate government action to restore lasting peace in the volatile region.
Emphasizing that eradicating terrorism remains the primary responsibility of the state, demonstrators warned that continued insecurity could provoke widespread civil unrest, citing similar public movements in other countries triggered by government failure.
Rally organizers sharply criticized Pakistani authorities for cracking down on peaceful citizens while allowing armed militants to operate with impunity across the mountainous terrain of Swat. Protesters questioned why stronger action had not been taken against terrorists who routinely publish propaganda videos on social media platforms.
“Our children deserve education, and our families deserve to live in peace,” one speaker told the gathering. “We have witnessed years of bloodshed. Our mothers, sisters and daughters have suffered immensely, and we do not want another generation of widows and orphans.”
Reacting to the incident, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari issued a statement on X expressing sorrow over the loss of life and directing authorities to provide full medical assistance to the injured.
“Terrorists will never succeed in their nefarious efforts to undermine peace, national unity and the writ of the state,” Zardari said, describing the police casualties as a “source of pride for the entire nation.”
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi and Chief Minister Sohail Afridi also condemned the attack, with Afridi requesting a detailed report from the provincial inspector general of police.
“The elements hostile to peace will never be allowed to succeed in their nefarious intentions,” Afridi said, according to official statements.
The deadly bombing comes amid a sharp escalation in militant violence across Pakistan. Earlier the same day, an improvised explosive device (IED) blast near the Peshawar-Islamabad Motorway toll plaza wounded two police officers, following a July 30 attack on a checkpoint in Hangu that killed nine police officers, Dawn reported.
Data from the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies showed that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa recorded 154 terrorism-related deaths in July alone, a 105% increase from the 75 deaths reported in June. (ANI)
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