Pakistan Reader# 634, 31 July 2023
Dhriti Mukherjee
What happened?
On 30 July, an intense bomb explosion took place during a political gathering at Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl, Bajaur. The explosion, estimated to have killed 42 and injured more than 150, is suspected to be the work of a suicide bomber associated with the militant IS-K group. The victims include the party’s Khar General Secretary Ziaullah and JUI-F District Press Secretary Mujahid Khan. This attack comes after a report that highlighted an increase of the Islamic group’s presence in Khar.
Who is responsible?
There is no clarity on the perpetrators. Dawn in its editorial reported of a security personnel stating, that the assailants of the attack are of the group Islamic State – Khorasan Province (IS-K). The anonymous official expressed his surety by stating: "There is no question about it." While Aljazeera reported that the attackers could belong to ISIL a transnational terrorist organization. What is to be noted that CTD had informed of the presence of IS-K in June as they disarmed three suspected IS-K men from the tribal area.
Initial Responses
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed his condolences and stated: “The Pakistani nation, law enforcement agencies and our protectors will never allow such cowardly tactics of the enemy to succeed.” Additionally, Pakistan: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl supremo Maulana Fazlur Rehman demanded a high level inquiry of the incident while expressing his anger and sorrow. The US also condemned the incident, with its embassy stating “Such acts of terror have no place in a peaceful and democratic society. We stand in solidarity with the people of Pakistan during this difficult time.”
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