Pakistan, Jan 24: At least seven people were killed and 10 others injured in a suicide blast at the residence of a peace committee member in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Friday.
District Police Officer of Dera Ismail Khan district Sajjad Ahmed Sahibzada confirmed that it was a suicide attack. The attack took place during a wedding ceremony at the residence of peace committee chief Noor Alam Mehsud near Qureshi More.
The blast was a suicide blast. DPO Sahibzada told Dawn News that it was premature to say anything about the casualties. He said an emergency has been imposed at the district headquarters hospital.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi has sought a report on the incident, Dawn News confirmed. He expressed grief over the incident and called for all possible medical assistance to those injured in the Dera blast.
It is learnt that the guests were dancing at the time of the attack. The intensity of the blast caused the ceiling of the room to collapse, making it difficult to rescue those trapped under the debris. The footage of the incident was captured on camera and was circulated in local media. The blast is believed to be part of a series of attacks targeting peace committee members in the area.
A state of emergency was declared at the district headquarters hospital after the blast. Bilal Ahmed Faizi, spokesman for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Rescue 1122, said that 5 bodies and 10 injured people have been shifted to the hospital.
Seven ambulances, fire brigade and disaster management vehicles were rushed to the spot as soon as information about the incident was received. Rescue operations are underway. Security forces have cordoned off the area and started investigation. According to initial reports, peace committee member Waheedullah Mehsud or Jigri Mehsud was reportedly among those killed.