Suicide attack in Pakistan: Rickshaw blast at Naurang Bazar kills 9, injures 33

Peshawar: A suicide attacker operating an explosives-laden rickshaw struck a crowded marketplace in northwestern Pakistan on Tuesday, resulting in at least nine deaths and 33 injuries, according to local law enforcement.

The blast occurred within the Naurang Bazar at Phattak Chowk, located in the Serai Naurang tehsil of the Lakki Marwat district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

District police officials confirmed the attacker detonated a three-wheeled vehicle packed with explosives in the heart of the market. Hameedullah Khan, the Deputy Commissioner of Lakki Marwat, verified the casualty count, noting that preliminary investigations suggest the vehicle had been rigged by terrorists.

The deceased include two members of the traffic police and one woman. Emergency responders transported the wounded to the Tehsil Headquarters Hospital in Sarai Naurang. Medical officials reported that several victims in critical condition were subsequently transferred to more advanced facilities in Peshawar and Bannu.

Emergency Response and Damage

Local authorities declared a state of emergency at regional hospitals to accommodate the influx of victims. Shahdab Khan, a spokesperson for Rescue 1122, stated that multiple ambulances and relief teams were deployed to the blast site to assist in the recovery efforts.

Footage appearing on social media platforms depicted significant structural damage to surrounding storefronts and several destroyed rickshaws.

Government Condemnation

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Muhammad Suhail Afridi has ordered the Inspector General of Police to provide an exhaustive report on the security breach.

“We stand with the bereaved families in this difficult time, and the provincial government will extend all possible support to them,” Afridi said.

In Islamabad, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif issued a statement expressing profound sorrow over the loss of life. He emphasised that militant groups would be unsuccessful in their attempts to destabilise the nation's progress or peace.

Sharif asserted that government agencies remain steadfast in their mission to eliminate terrorism and directed a high-priority investigation to apprehend those behind the planning of the assault.

With inputs from PTI