Screengrab of the aftermath of the bombing at Warsak Road
At least seven people, including three children, were injured on Tuesday after explosives detonated on Peshawar’s Warsak Road shortly after a police vehicle passed the area.
Speaking with media, Warsak Superintendent of Police (SP) Arshad Khan said the wounded were shifted to Peshawar’s Lady Reading Hospital. A spokesperson for the hospital said two of the injured children were in critical condition, adding the ages of the people brought to the facility ranged between 11 and 23 years old.
According to the SP, the incident occurred near the Peshawar Public School at around 9:10 a.m. He said an estimated 4kg of explosives were planted in a “cement block” that was placed on the side of the road. The area has been cordoned off and further investigation is ongoing, he added. “The element of extortion is also being considered as the reason for the blast,” he said, adding that it would be “premature” to state who might be the target. However, the Peshawar police chief told Reuters it was unlikely that schoolchildren were the target, while SSP Operations Kashif Aftab Abbasi told Geo News that the explosion occurred shortly after the Machnigate Police Station’s mobile vehicle passed by on routine patrol.
Mayor Zubair Ali told journalists the explosion, occurring near a school, was an attempt to disturb the peace and order. “The explosion near educational institutions is unfortunate,” he added.
There has been no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.
Various government officials have condemned the bombing. Interim Interior Minister Sarfraz Ahmed Bugti vowed that all efforts would be expended to ensure proper treatment for all injured, especially the children. “Children are the future of this country. [We] will protect them under every circumstance,” he said, adding that terrorists prove their cowardice by targeting children and vowing to punish all culprits responsible.
Interim Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Justice (retd.) Arshad Hussain Shah also condemned the bombing and directed police to submit a report on it. Praying for the speedy recovery of the wounded, he directed hospital management to ensure the best possible medical treatment for them.
Awami National Party (ANP) Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa president Aimal Wali Khan, meanwhile, noted today’s bombing was the second explosion on Warsak Road in recent months. “We reiterate that KP cannot afford the fire of terrorism anymore,” he said, warning the situation could spiral if the state did not take immediate action.
There has been a resurgence of militancy across Pakistan, particularly in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in Kabul in August 2021. There are growing fears of the threats widening as the country proceeds toward general elections, due on Feb. 8, 2024.
According to data compiled by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), the past month saw 63 attacks across Pakistan, with 83 fatalities, including 37 security forces personnel and 33 civilians. Additionally, it said, 89 individuals were injured, including 53 civilians and 36 security personnel. In the same span, it said, security forces killed at least 59 militants while apprehending 18 suspected militants.