BAJAUR: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazl ur Rehman on Thursday condemned Sunday’s suicide bombing of his party’s workers convention in Bajaur tribal district and said the attack was an attempt by the country’s “enemies” to sabotage the visit of China’s Vice Premier He Lifeng.

“Several foreign forces are behind Sunday’s carnage,” Mr Fazl told a jirga of elders and party’s senior leaders and activists at the district administration’s Jirga Hall in Civil Colony, Khar.

The JUI-F leader visited the district with provincial Governor Haji Ghulam Ali in the latter’s official helicopter.

He said the bomb blast at the peaceful gathering that left 63 innocent people, mostly JUI-F workers, dead and 123 injured was an attack on democracy and a conspiracy against national economy and security.

Claims foreign forces behind attack

“The attack was carried out when the Chinese vice premier was landing in Islamabad for talks over CPEC and other matters related to Pakistan’s development. It was meant to create a sense of uncertainty in the country and thus, stopping the Chinese government from funding Pakistan,” he said.

Mr Fazl said such “anti-development” acts were carried out by a political party in the past to create hurdles to the visit of the Chinese president to the country.

He said the rising incidents of militancy in the country were carried out under a “great conspiracy by several foreign forces that are opposed to the resolution of our security and financial issues.”

The JUI-F chief said party leader Maulana Ziaullah Jan wasn’t the prime target of Sunday’s bombing.

“Had Maulana Ziaullah been the main target, militants would have easily attacked him earlier,” he said.

Mr Fazl said he didn’t know why his party workers in Bajaur were targeted by militants.

He blamed “security lapse” for the bomb blast and said it was the responsibility of authorities to protect public life.

The JUI-F leader said authorities had some “weaknesses” that should be removed.

He said he was keen to go to the houses of all blast victims to sympathise with their families but couldn’t do so due to security reasons.

Mr Fazl said terrorist attacks couldn’t stop his party from advocating the enforcement of Islamic laws in the country in a democratic manner.

He said party workers deserved praise for remaining calm after the bombing and that showed that theirs was a peaceful and democratic party.

“I am very concerned over Sunday’s bomb blast and a surge in the activities of militancy in KP, so he has called a jirga to discuss the issue today (Friday),” he said.

On the occasion, the JUI-F chief announced Rs500,000 each for the families of the deceased and Rs300,000 each for the injured on behalf of his party.

Earlier, he along with Governor Haji Ghulam Ali, officials of the district administration and local party leaders visited the District Headquarters Hospital, Khar, and inquired after the people, who were injured in Sunday’s suicide bombing.

Published in Dawn, August 4th, 2023