PESHAWAR: An explosion took place near a security forces’ convoy in northwestern Pakistan’s North Waziristan tribal region, injuring one, sources said.

The blast took place on the Ghulam Khan Road in the tribal region and was caused by an improvised explosive device.

The security forces’ convoy was en route from the tribal region’s Miramshah town towards Ghulam Khan tehsil when the explosion occurred.

A security forces’ man was injured as a result.

North Waziristan is one of the seven regions in Pakistan’s Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) governed by tribal laws. An extremist insurgency led by the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) plagues the region and the area is known to be infested with militants, including those from Al Qaeda and other armed extremist organisations.

Future of ceasefire and govt-TTP dialogue

The explosion comes at a time when the shura of the outlawed TTP is still deciding its future line of action on peace talks with the government and the ceasefire which ended on April 10.

The shura had met at an unspecified place in North Waziristan on Monday to discuss the dialogue process.

Monday’s meeting had however failed to reach consensus over the ceasefire and continuation of talks, sources had told Dawn.

The issues of ceasefire extension and exchange of non-combatant prisoners topped the agenda of the meeting.

Taliban infighting

The events also come with deadly ongoing fighting between two factions of the Taliban — Sheryar Mehsud group and Khan Said alias Sajna group.

And while the TTP has repeatedly denied that an internal strife had caused division within the ranks of the Taliban, the delay over a decision on the ceasefire has also been attributed to the continued fighting between the two groups of Mehsud Taliban in South Waziristan.

The TTP leadership is also said to be worried over the infighting and has reportedly sent influential men to Shawal, the area that is at the epicentre of the tussle which has left scores dead.