At least 40 people have lost their lives in an explosion during a political rally in northwestern Pakistan.
The blast occurred on the outskirts of Khar, the capital of Bajur district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The rally was organized by supporters of Maulana Fazlur Rehman, a hardline cleric and leader of the Jamiat Ulema Islam-Fazl party. Over 130 people were injured in the suicide bombing, with some of the critically wounded being airlifted to a hospital in Peshawar.
Among the dead was the local leader of Mr. Rehman’s party, Maulana Ziaullah, but the leader himself was not present at the rally. Maulana Rehman’s Islamist party is part of Pakistan’s coalition government and is also leading the Pakistan Democratic Movement, a coalition of opposition parties formed in 2020 to challenge the then Prime Minister Imran Khan. The incident occurred as political parties prepare for a general election later in the year.
Witnesses described the aftermath as chaotic, with dust and smoke everywhere. Many attendees were left injured and traumatized, and the death toll might rise as some of the injured are in critical condition. The blast sent a negative message to political parties holding campaign events, causing a sense of threat among Pakistan’s leaders.
Though no one has claimed responsibility for the attack, Islamic State operates in Afghanistan, which is close to the border where the blast happened. Maulana Rehman is known to be pro-Taliban, and the Taliban, which has governed Afghanistan since 2021, expressed condolences for the victims and wished for the speedy recovery of the injured
