SWAT / LAKKI MARWAT: At least a dozen people, including police officials, lost their lives in a powerful explosion inside the Kabal police station late on Monday evening.

According to hospital sources, at least 57 people — including three civilians — sustained injuries in the blast.

The explosion that rocked the police station, which reportedly occurred on the premises of the Counter Terrorism Department office, came hours after a raid by the CTD in Lakki Marwat resulted in the killing of three suspected militants.

District Police Officer Swat Shaf­iullah stated that the blast took place at about 8:20pm inside the police station. However, the nature of the explosion could not be independently confirmed by the time this report went to press.

Malakand DIG says explosion occurred at weapons depot; three suspected militants killed in Lakki Marwat

However, speaking to media persons later at night, DIG Malakand Nasir Mehmood Satti said the incident was not a result of any terrorist activity or suicide blast but “carelessness” as per the initial investigation. He said the explosion occurred at a weapon storage facility inside an old office of the Counter Terrorism Department on the premises of the police station.

The police officer, however, said a probe was still underway in light of emerging evidence.

20 trapped under rubble

The blast, which shattered the roof of the police station, the CTD office, and a mosque located inside the station, was also followed by a fire. According to senior police officials, at least 20 policemen were trapped under the roof, which collapsed due to the intensity of the explosion.

Imdad Khan, an injured policeman at Saidu Teaching Hospital (STH) said that he was inside the kitchen with other policemen when the powerful blast ripped through the building. “Portion of the kitchen building collapsed. A huge fire also erupted after the blast,” he told Dawn, adding that he heard multiple blasts.

In a comment on the number of blasts, the DIG said since the explosion occurred at the depot due to ammunition stored there, minor blasts also followed.

Emergency was declared in health facilities soon after the explosion and Rescue 1122 teams rushed to the spot. Security was put on high alert following the explosion and the area was cordoned off by law enforcement agencies.

Meanwhile, the Swat Olasi Pasoon announced a protest against the blast in Mingora today.

Three killed in Lakki

Among the three slain militants was the alleged killer of a retired military officer who was shot dead at his residence by armed men on Sunday.

“A total of three militants including Nouman, who had targeted retired colonel Muqarab Khan, were gunned down in an exchange of fire at the house of a militant commander Zubair of the Tipu Gul group in Paharkhel Tal area within jurisdiction of Lakki Marwat police station,” a senior CTD official disclosed.

The police said the ex-army officer, who had served in an intelligence agency, was receiving guests at his Hujra on the second day of Eidul Fitr when two unidentified armed men entered the Hujra and fired at him.

Col Khan was killed while the armed men who had held others in the Hujra hostage at gunpoint managed to escape from the scene, the officials said.

Law enforcement personnel attempted to chase the assailants but they sped away on a motorbike towards Darga, a riverine forest.

On Monday, the officials said, Bannu CTD personnel received information about a hideout of militants. As they reached the hideout, the militants opened fire on them, they said, adding that it seemed around 10 heavily armed militants were well prepared for the encounter.

“Three militants, including Nouman, were killed and another militant, Tehseenullah, sustained injuries,” a senior CTD official said.

However, he said, the CTD believed other militants had sustained injuries and could be present in the area terming it the reason why a search operation was launched in the area by police and the security forces.

The officials said Inspector Javed Iqbal and Constable Irfan of the CTD were seriously wounded and shifted to the Combined Military Hospital, Bannu, and Khalif Gulnawaz Hospital.

Senior CTD officials said that following the search operation, it was confirmed that an organised militant group was involved in the targeted killing of the retired military officer.

Published in Dawn, April 25th, 2023