Three people were killed while seven others were injured as a result of an explosion on Thursday in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Mardan district when an explosive device planted on a bridge was set off, police officials said.
Pakistan has seen a significant rise in terror-related incidents across the country, particularly after the militant group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) broke a truce with the government in November 2022 and began targeting security personnel.
In response to the rising terrorist attacks, the Apex Committee of National Action Plan announced the launch of Operation Azm-e-Istehkam (Resolve for Stability) last month to eradicate terrorism and extremism from the country.
Mardan District Police Officer (DPO) Zahoor Barbar Afridi told Dawn.com that the blast occurred as a police vehicle was passing along a bridge in the Takhtbhai Jalala area of the district.
“A speeding rickshaw on the bridge was also caught in the explosion, killing three people, while seven others, including two policemen, sustained injuries,” Afridi said.
Rescue 1122 confirmed that one of the deceased initially survived the blast, but succumbed to his injuries during treatment.
Superintendent of Police Saddar Circle, Khalid Khan, told Dawn.com that unidentified terrorists planted the device near the bridge and detonated it as the police vehicle was passing by.
He further said that a large contingent of police had arrived at the scene and launched a search operation, while rescue personnel shifted the wounded to Tehsil Headquarters Hospital Takhtbhai.
DPO Afridi also confirmed that a search operation for suspects was underway, adding that the explosion was set off via remote control.
A statement from Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on social media platform X condemned the blast. Naqvi also extended his condolences to the victims.
Earlier this week, a security official was martyred and four others sustained injuries when an improvised explosive device (IED) exploded near a vehicle carrying security personnel to the Iskalku area of Kalat district, officials said on Tuesday.
The vehicle was hit while en route to Iskalku, where posts were set up to guard the oil and gas exploration site of a petroleum company.
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