The blast occurred in Kabal, a town in the Swat district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where residents had gathered near a police station to protest the resurgence of militant groups and demand lasting peace in the region.
At least 14 people, including civilians and police officers, were killed and more than two dozen injured after a suicide bomber attacked an anti-militant rally in Pakistan’s northwestern Swat Valley on Sunday, officials said.
The blast occurred in Kabal, a town in the Swat district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where residents had gathered near a police station to protest the resurgence of militant groups and demand lasting peace in the region.
Suicide bomber strikes peace rally
According to district police chief Omar Khan, demonstrators were chanting anti-militant slogans and calling for stronger action against extremist groups when the attacker detonated explosives among the crowd.
Emergency services spokesman Bilal Faizi said the bomber targeted dozens of protesters. Authorities confirmed that at least nine civilians and five police officers were among those killed, while more than 24 people sustained injuries.
Witnesses said speakers at the rally had criticized authorities for failing to eliminate militant groups and urged the government to ensure security, arguing that residents wanted to live without fear after years of violence.
Pakistani leaders condemn attack
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the bombing, expressing condolences to the families of the victims and directing authorities to provide the best possible medical care to the injured.
Both leaders reiterated that Pakistan would continue its fight against terrorism until militant groups were eradicated.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also condemned the attack and expressed sympathy with the victims’ families.
Suspicion falls on Pakistani Taliban
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the bombing. However, suspicion has fallen on the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), also known as the Pakistani Taliban, which has intensified attacks across the country in recent years.
The TTP is separate from but allied with Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers. Pakistan has repeatedly accused the Taliban-led government in Kabul of providing safe haven to TTP militants, an allegation Afghanistan denies.
Swat faces renewed militant threat
The Swat Valley was once a major stronghold of Islamist militants before Pakistan’s military launched a large-scale operation in 2007 that restored government control.
In recent months, however, militants have re-emerged in the region, prompting repeated anti-Taliban demonstrations by local residents demanding stronger security measures.
The latest attack underscores growing concerns that the TTP is attempting to re-establish its presence in Swat.
Militant violence on the rise
Pakistan has witnessed a sharp increase in militant violence, particularly targeting security personnel.
According to military spokesperson Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry, Pakistan has recorded 3,145 terrorism-related incidents since January. He said security forces had killed 2,084 militants, while 819 Pakistanis, including civilians, police officers and soldiers, had lost their lives during the same period.
Chaudhry also alleged that 28 suicide attacks carried out in Pakistan since January involved militants operating from Afghanistan, accusing the Taliban government of supporting the TTP. Kabul has consistently rejected those allegations.
The suicide bombing in Swat is the latest reminder of Pakistan’s ongoing struggle against militant groups, even as residents continue to publicly oppose their return and demand stronger action from the government.
(With AP inputs)
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