A suicide bomber detonated himself at a political rally in north-west Pakistan, killing at least 44 people and wounding nearly 200, a police officer said. The bombing occurred in the Bajur district, a former stronghold of Islamic militants near the border with Afghanistan. The victims were mostly supporters of Jamiat Ulema Islam (JUI) party, which is led by Maulana Fazlur Rehman, a senior party leader. The event was meant to gather party workers and was taking place on the outskirts of Khar, the capital of Bajur district.
The bombing occurred just hours before the arrival of Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in Islamabad to participate in an event marking a decade of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a massive investment package aimed at strengthening economic ties between the two nations. However, the Chinese government has also been targeted by militants in the region.
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a militant group, condemned the bombing, saying it was aimed at creating divisions among Islamists. Zabiullah Mujahid, a spokesman for the Afghan Taliban, also condemned the bombing, saying that such crimes could not be justified.
Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng (Via He Lifeng/Twitter)
The bombing was one of the four worst attacks in the region since 2014, when a Taliban attack on an army-run school in Peshawar killed 147 people, mostly schoolchildren. The JUI party has faced numerous attacks in the past, including a bombing at a mosque in Peshawar in January that killed 74 people. More than 100 police officials died in a bombing at the city’s mosque at police headquarters in February this year.
The Prime Minister, President, and other leaders condemned the attack, asking officials to provide assistance to the wounded and bereaved families. The attack has also led to calls for unity among party members and supporters, with Maulana Rehman urging an investigation and compensation for the affected families.
