At least 15 people were killed and 18 others were injured after a suicide bomber attacked Kabal police station in Pakistan’s Swat district on Sunday.
The blast happened near a large anti-terror rally where hundreds of people had gathered to protest rising militant violence. Police officers and civilians were among those killed, while emergency teams rushed the injured to nearby hospitals.
“Fifteen people were martyred, including six police personnel, while nine civilians were wounded and 25 critically injured people are receiving treatment at Saidu Sharif Teaching Hospital,” the District Police Officer (DPO) Muhammad Ome told The Express Tribune.
Blast strikes near anti-terror rally
The attack took place at the entrance of Kabal police station in Swat. According to Swat District Police Officer Umar Khan, police officers stopped the attacker and tried to search him before he detonated the explosives.
The explosion occurred close to Kabal Chowk, where hundreds of residents had gathered for a public rally against terrorism.
The blast caused panic among the crowd and interrupted the event moments after a speaker addressed the gathering.
“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,” one speaker told the demonstration moments before the explosion occurred.
Casualties and rescue operation
Rescue teams and local authorities quickly reached the area after the blast.
Officials said nine bodies were taken to Central Hospital Saidu Sharif, while five bodies were shifted to Kabal Hospital.
A total of 18 injured people were admitted for treatment. Hospital officials confirmed that two of them remain in critical condition.
Public anger over security situation
The attack sparked anger among residents and rally organizers. Many questioned why militant attacks continue despite repeated security operations in the region.
Speakers at the rally accused authorities of failing to provide safety for local communities and demanded stronger action against militant groups.
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, Governor Faisal Karim Kundi, and Chief Minister Sohail Afridi condemned the attack and expressed support for the victims and their families.
Violence rising in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
The Swat bombing is the latest in a series of attacks across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Earlier on Sunday, an improvised explosive device blast near the Peshawar-Islamabad motorway injured two police officers. On July 30, a separate attack on a police checkpost in Hangu killed nine policemen.
According to data from the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies, terrorism-related deaths in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa increased from 75 in June to 154 in July, marking a 105 percent rise.
The latest attack has renewed concerns about security in the province and the growing threat of militant violence in the region.