BAJAUR: The death toll from the tragic suicide attack in Bajaur a day earlier climbed to 46 as police registered a first information report (FIR) of the bombing against unknown terrorists.
Various provisions, including anti-terrorism, have been included in the FIR, which adds that the blast took place at 4.10 pm.
Three of the injured succumbed to their injuries increasing the death toll to 46, said District Health Office (DHO) Dr Faisal.
He added that relatives of the deceased are taking bodies with them after identification.
“Eight bodies have been kept in the hospital for identification as they are unidentifiable,” added Dr Faisal.
Corps commander, IGFC visit injured
The corps commander and inspector general frontier corps (IGFC) Bajaur reached Peshawar on Monday and visited the injured of the blast in the hospital and also visited the blast site.
The two senior officials were briefed about the blast. “In this hour of grief, we, the Pakistan Army, stand side by side with the people of Bajaur,” said the corps commander.
IGFC said that “terrorism is a scourge that needs to be eradicated”.
A day earlier, a suicide bomber set off explosives at the workers convention of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) in the Bajaur district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P).
According to police and witnesses, the blast occurred during the convention being held under a canopy at Dubai Market in Khar Tehsil. The explosion took place as soon as JUI-F District Amir Maulana Abdul Rasheed reached the stage.
Inspector General of K-P Police, Akhtar Hayat Khan Gandapur, stated that the bomber was among the attendees seated in the front rows of the convention. Witnesses confirmed that the blast was of such intensity that its sound reverberated across faraway places.
The deceased included JUI-F Tehsil Khar Amir Maulana Ziaullah Jan, Navagai Tehsil General Secretary Maulana Hameedullah, District Information Secretary Mujahid Khan and dozens of party workers.
Senior JUI-F leader Hafiz Hamdullah was scheduled to participate in the convention, but he changed his travel plans because of his other engagements, party sources said, adding that he was not present at the convention.
