The bombing targeted an anti-terror gathering in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, once again exposing Pakistan’s deteriorating security situation.
At least 14 people, including five police personnel, were killed and several others injured after a suicide bomber targeted a peace rally in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Sunday, officials said.
The attack took place in Kabal town of Swat district, where hundreds had gathered for the Swat Peace Rally, organised by the Swat Aman Jirga, a local tribal council advocating peace in the violence-hit region.
Suicide bomber intercepted near police station
According to officials, the attacker attempted to enter a police station located near the rally venue but was intercepted by security personnel at the main entrance. The bomber then detonated an explosive vest, triggering a powerful blast that sent panic through the gathering.
Emergency responders rushed to the scene as the injured were shifted to nearby hospitals, while security forces sealed off the area and launched an investigation.
Swat Deputy Inspector General of Police Fida Hussain said the bomber was stopped before entering the police station, preventing what could have been an even deadlier attack.
Rally was demanding peace
The rally participants were carrying placards and raising slogans calling for lasting peace in Swat, a region that has witnessed repeated militant attacks over the years.
The Swat Aman Jirga had organised the event to highlight growing concerns over the deteriorating security situation in the province.
TTP under suspicion
No organisation has claimed responsibility for the attack so far. However, suspicion has fallen on the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which has carried out numerous attacks against Pakistani security forces in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
According to Pakistani security officials, militant violence has claimed the lives of 819 security personnel and civilians in the province.
Pakistan-Afghanistan tensions persist
The resurgence of TTP attacks has further strained relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Islamabad has repeatedly accused the Taliban-led government in Kabul of providing safe haven to TTP militants operating across the border, an allegation the Afghan administration has consistently denied.
Pakistan has conducted multiple cross-border strikes targeting suspected TTP hideouts inside Afghanistan, prompting retaliatory action from Afghan forces and further escalating tensions.
Despite the deteriorating security situation, the Taliban government has called for dialogue with Pakistan to resolve bilateral differences.
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said both countries should seek a peaceful resolution, arguing that continued tensions benefit neither side.
However, Pakistan has not publicly responded to Kabul‘s latest appeal for talks.
The latest suicide bombing underscores the persistent security challenges facing Pakistan’s northwestern provinces, where militant violence has witnessed a resurgence in recent years despite sustained counterterrorism operations.
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