Jakarta, ThedailyID — A suicide bomber attacked an anti-militia peace demonstration in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on August 2, killing 14 people, including eight police officers, authorities said.
The attack occurred outside the Kabal police station in Swat district, where residents had gathered to demand stronger action against armed militias and call for lasting peace.
According to Swat Deputy Inspector General of Police Fida Hussain, the attacker attempted to enter the police compound but officers stopped him at the main gate before he detonated the explosives.
The blast killed 14 people and injured 22 others, police said.
Witnesses said demonstrators had been chanting anti-militia slogans and criticizing authorities for failing to eliminate armed groups operating in the region. Protesters also urged the government to restore security and allow residents to live without fear of violence.
Provincial emergency spokesperson Bilal Faizi said the bomber deliberately targeted the crowd gathered outside the police station.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. However, suspicion has fallen on the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), also known as the Pakistani Taliban.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the bombing and expressed condolences to the victims’ families. Both leaders vowed that Pakistan would continue its campaign against terrorism.
Swat Valley was once a stronghold of the Pakistani Taliban, which imposed a strict interpretation of Islamic law before the military regained control through a major operation in 2007.
Militant activity has resurged in recent months, prompting repeated anti-Taliban demonstrations across the valley. Attacks targeting Pakistani police and security forces have also increased during the same period.
