Daily Times

A policeman was martyred while three were injured on Sunday when their vehicle, part of a convoy escorting dignitaries from 12 countries, was caught in an explosion on Malam Jabba Road in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Swat district, police said.

Swat Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Muhammad Ali Khan told the media that delegations from Indonesia, Portugal, Kazakhstan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Turkmenistan, Vietnam, Iran, Russia, and Tajikistan were a part of the convoy.

“As a result of the blast, Constable Burhan has embraced martyrdom, while three other policemen, including Sub-Inspector Sar Zameen, Constable Amanullah, and Constable Habib Gul, have sustained injuries,” Khan said.

He added that a heavy contingent of police had reached the incident site and relief work was underway, adding that the affected area had been cordoned off, while the police had started a search operation to look for suspects.

According to the DIG, the explosion was caused by a remote-controlled IED.

“All the ambassadors remained safe in the attack and had been shifted to a safe place before their departure to Islamabad,” the DIG told Reuters.

The diplomats were visiting the area at the invitation of a local chamber of commerce.

No one has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.

Meanwhile, the Russian Embassy in Islamabad took to the X platform and announced that the vehicle leading the diplomats’ convoy “hit a mine” in Mingora.

“On September 22, Ambassador Albert P. Khorev, along with several other Ambassadors, took part in the Swat Tourism Summit organised by the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry,” the embassy said.

“On the way to the hotel from the town of Mingora in Khyber Pakhtunkwa, an escort vehicle hit a mine. Several policemen were injured, diplomats were not harmed.”

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the terrorist attack.

The prime minister prayed for the elevation of ranks of the martyred policeman in Jannah and offered his heartfelt condolence to the bereaved family members.

He also prayed for the swift recovery of those injured in the incident.

The prime minister directed the relevant authorities to provide all possible medical assistance to the injured.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi condemned the attack on the convoy and expressed regret and sorrow while calling out the PTI-led provincial government for not being able to curb terrorism.

“The provincial government is not sincere in establishing peace and their behaviour is encouraging terrorists,” he said. “The attack on the police in Swat is a conspiracy of forces hostile to Islam and Pakistan.”

The country has lately witnessed a sharp uptick in the number of attacks targeting security forces, other law enforcement agencies, and security checkpoints, particularly in KP and Balochistan.

Attacks escalated after the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban (TTP) broke a fragile ceasefire agreement with the government in 2022 and vowed to target security forces.