Peshawar: At least 14 people, including police personnel, were killed and 18 others injured in a suicide bombing outside the Kabal police station in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Sunday, according to local authorities.

The attack took place in Swat district when a suspected suicide bomber detonated explosives after police personnel attempted to stop and search him at the entrance of the police station, Swat District Police Officer Umar Khan said.

The powerful blast occurred near Kabal Chowk, where hundreds of people had gathered for a public rally against the recent surge in terrorism across the Swat Valley. The explosion triggered panic among protesters as the final speaker was addressing the gathering.

Swat police spokesperson Nasir Iqbal Karimi confirmed that 14 people had died in the attack. Rescue teams shifted nine bodies to Central Hospital Saidu Sharif and five others to Kabal Hospital. Rescue 1122 officials said 18 people were injured, with two of them in critical condition.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.

Before the explosion, speakers at the anti-terror rally had strongly criticised the resurgence of militant violence in the region and urged the government to restore peace.

One of the speakers told the gathering, "Our children deserve education, and our families deserve to live in peace."

The speaker added, "We have witnessed years of bloodshed. Our mothers, sisters and daughters have suffered immensely, and we do not want another generation of widows and orphans."

Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari expressed grief over the loss of lives and directed authorities to ensure the injured receive the best possible medical treatment.

In a statement, Zardari said, "Terrorists will never succeed in their nefarious efforts to undermine peace, national unity and the writ of the state."

He also described the police personnel who lost their lives as a "source of pride for the entire nation".

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi and Chief Minister Sohail Afridi also condemned the bombing. Afridi sought a detailed report from the provincial Inspector General of Police.

According to official statements, Afridi said, "The elements hostile to peace will never be allowed to succeed in their nefarious intentions."

The bombing comes amid a sharp rise in militant attacks across Pakistan. Earlier on Sunday, an improvised explosive device (IED) blast near the Peshawar-Islamabad motorway toll plaza injured two police officers. Days earlier, on July 30, nine policemen were killed in an attack on a security checkpost in Hangu.

According to data from the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa recorded 154 terrorism-related deaths in July, up 105% from 75 fatalities in June, highlighting the worsening security situation in the province.