The wedding ceremony in northwestern Pakistan was interrupted when a suicide attacker detonated an explosive vest that killed at least seven and wounded 25 others, claimed Pakistani police. The ceremony was interrupted while participants were making musical sounds with drums and dancing, reported Associated Press.
The attack targeted the residence of Noor Alam Mehsud, a pro-government citizen and head of a committee promoting peace in Dera Ismail Khan in North West Frontier Province close to Afghanistan, according to AP. Victims were rushed to a hospital in a critical condition, according to regional police chief Adnan Khan.
Casualties varied as more data became available, with reports emanating from the incident site as well as various healthcare facilities. Sajjad Ahmed Sahibzada, Dera Ismail Khan’s DPO, spoke to Dawn newspaper to clarify on the issue. To start with, he stated there had been a suicidal blast with initial reports of 5 fatalities and 10 people injured. Bilal Ahmed Faizi of Rescue 1122 stated they had dispatched ambulances with a fire vehicle as well as a disaster response vehicle. An emergency had been issued for the district headquarters’ hospital. Further reports by Dawn state there had been part of the room’s roof collapse, acting as a barrier for the rescue team as they sought to reach victims in the debris.
Muhammad Adnan, an official in the police force, stated that the blast occurred at a site where peace committee workers, local security collaborators favored by Islamabad in some border districts to counter the forces of militancy, conduct their activities.
No group immediately claimed responsibility.
After attacks in the area, officials and observers still often point to Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP. The Pakistani Taliban has carried out many attacks in different parts of Pakistan in the past few years. This group is still connected with the Taliban in Afghanistan, but they are not the same outfit.
The AP states that a Pakistani government spokesperson declared that this group has become more confident in its actions ever since a return to power in 2021 of the Taliban in Afghanistan, as a large number of leaders of this militant group are in hiding in Afghanistan.
Police said the casualty count could change as hospitals continue treating the injured.
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