Pakistan mourned the victims of a devastating suicide bombing as the death toll from the attack reached at least 45 on Monday. The bombing occurred during a rally organized by a pro-Taliban cleric on the previous day. The government vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice as investigations into the incident continue.
The massive suicide bombing in Pakistan, which also left nearly 200 people injured, targeted a gathering of the Jamiat Ulema Islam party. Led by the hard-line cleric and politician Fazlur Rehman. However, Rehman was not present at the rally, which took place under a large tent near a market in Bajur. A district within the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan.
As of now, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack. However, preliminary investigations by the police point towards the possibility of the Islamic State group’s regional affiliate being behind the bombing.
The Islamic State in Khorasan Province, the IS regional affiliate, operates from Afghanistan‘s Nangarhar province and is a rival of the Afghan Taliban. Bajur, where the bombing occurred, was formerly a stronghold of the Pakistani Taliban, closely allied with Afghanistan’s Taliban government. However, several Pakistani military offensives conducted until 2016 claimed to have driven the Pakistani Taliban out of the region.
The gathering in Bajur was part of the Jamiat Ulema Islam party’s preparations for the upcoming parliamentary elections. Expected to take place in October or November after the current parliament’s five-year term ends. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is anticipated to dissolve the parliament in August to facilitate the electoral process. Rehman’s party is a crucial component of Sharif’s coalition government, which came to power in April 2022. After the ousting of former Prime Minister Imran Khan through a no-confidence vote in the legislature.
As the nation mourns the loss of lives in the tragic incident, the government remains resolute in its commitment to hunt down those responsible for the attack and bring them to justice. Investigations into the motive and execution of the suicide bombing are ongoing. With security forces on high alert to prevent further acts of violence and ensure the safety of the citizens.