At least seven people were martyred and three others injured in two roadside bomb blasts in Bannu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Saturday, according to police and rescue officials. The first explosion struck a private pick-up truck carrying passengers, and a second improvised explosive device (IED) detonated as rescuers were transporting the wounded to hospital.
First Blast Targets Passenger Vehicle
The initial explosion occurred in the Phang Musa Khel area under the jurisdiction of Ahmadzai police station, said Kashif Nawaz, spokesperson for the Regional Police Office (RPO) Bannu. A passenger pickup vehicle carrying local residents was targeted with a remote-controlled IED, confirmed Yasir Afridi, District Police Officer (DPO) in Bannu.
According to Afridi, the blast killed five people in the van and two in a nearby car instantly due to the intensity of the explosion. Three others were wounded. The deceased and injured were rushed to Khalifa Gul Nawaz Teaching Hospital, where emergency services were placed on high alert for treatment and medico-legal formalities.
Second IED Hits Rescue Vehicle
As the injured were being transported for medical treatment, a second IED exploded targeting the vehicle carrying them. “During the transfer of the injured for medical assistance, another explosion occurred targeting the motor vehicle carrying them,” Nawaz said in a statement. The two explosions together killed seven people and wounded three, police reported.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks. However, the Pakistan Taliban (TTP) and other armed groups are known to operate in the area. Pakistan has repeatedly blamed Afghanistan for a surge in cross-border attacks, though the Taliban government in Kabul denies providing sanctuary to militants.
Security Response and Investigation
A heavy police contingent was deployed immediately after the attack, and security personnel cordoned off the site and launched a search operation. Police teams are collecting evidence and investigating the incident from multiple angles, Nawaz added. The attack occurred in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where security forces have intensified counterterrorism operations amid a resurgence of militant violence in recent years.
Presidential and Prime Ministerial Condemnation
President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the bombings on Sunday and expressed condolences to the families of the victims. According to a statement from the President’s Office, Zardari warned against “internal and external handlers of terrorism” that provide safe havens, logistical support, and financial assistance to terrorist groups. He said such groups seek to undermine Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts and broader regional peace initiatives.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also condemned the attacks and directed authorities to ensure medical treatment for the injured and conduct an immediate investigation. “Terrorism is a heinous conspiracy against humanity, peace and stability of Pakistan,” Sharif said in a statement. “Such cowardly acts can never shake the resolve of the nation,” he added. The prime minister vowed that those responsible would be “prosecuted” and “punished to the fullest extent of the law,” adding that “the blood of martyrs will not go in vain.”
