On Sunday, a powerful bomb detonated during a rally held by supporters of a hard-line cleric and political leader in Pakistan’s northwestern Bajur district, which shares a border with Afghanistan. The explosion resulted in the tragic loss of 10 lives and left over 50 individuals wounded, according to information provided by the police.
The incident occurred during a workers’ convention organized by Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s Jamiat Ulema Islam party on the outskirts of Khar, the capital of Bajur district. As a result of the blast, some of the injured were rushed to the main hospital in Khar, with some reported to be in critical condition. Authorities fear that the death toll may rise as they continue to assess the situation.
Maulana Fazlur Rehman is known to be a pro-Taliban cleric, and his political party is part of the coalition government in Islamabad. As of now, it remains uncertain whether Rehman was present at the time of the incident.