Islamabad, Aug 3:
At least 13 people were killed and 22 others injured in a powerful explosion during a “peace rally” in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Sunday, officials said.
The blast occurred in a town in Swat district while a rally organised by a local tribal council, Swat Aman Jirga, was underway. Participants had gathered to demand peace in the region, which has witnessed a deterioration in security in recent months.
Initial reports suggest the explosion could be a suicide attack targeting police personnel present at the rally, though there was no immediate official confirmation.
Rescue teams rushed to the spot and shifted the injured to nearby hospitals, while police and other law enforcement agencies cordoned off the area and launched an investigation.