Ashrafuddin Pirzada
PESHAWAR: More than seventy persons were martyred while 150 were seriously injured when a suicide bomber detonated his explosive vest in a Jamiat Ulema(F)workers’ convention here on Sunday in the Khar area of Bajaur tribal District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
A number of JUIF senior leaders and workers were martyred as a huge blast occurred with a big bang in Khar. Civil society, PTI Chairman Imran Khan, sitting and former parliamentarians and JUIF head Fazal Ur Rehman strongly condemned the brutal attack on the Islamic political party.
Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Haji Ghulam Ali and JUIF central leader Hamdullah in a press statement said it was not an attack on a political party but on the democratic forces. They said the blast took their leaders and senior workers from them. Hamdullah said he was also invited to the worker’s convention and was about to attend it. It was noted that the most senior JUF leadership was yet to arrive when the blast occurred. Locals said the bomber was very close to the stage where guests were sitting. A number of children and youth were also martyred in the incident.
Geo TV local cameraman Samiullah was also among the injured. Most of the seriously injured were airlifted to Peshawar by helicopter.
Pakistan Army and police jointly airlifted injured persons.
Inspector General of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police Akhtar Hayat said it was a suicide blast that took dozens of lives.
The emergency had been declared at hospitals. Akhtar Hayat said high explosives were used in the blast. Police collected evidence from the site.
KP governor haji Ghulam Ali said the incident would be investigated and those behind the attack would be dealt with strictly.
Lawyers in Bauar announced three days of mourning.
Top police and civil authorities officials visited hospitals and inquired about the health condition of the injured persons.
