PESHAWAR: Terrorist group Islamic State’s regional affiliate Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) has claimed responsibility for the May 11 suicide blast, which martyred two police officials and injured three here.

In its weekly publication Al-Naba on Friday, the ISKP insisted that one of its members, Abu Ibrahim al-Khorasani, carried out the suicide attack by detonating his explosive belt when the police tried to stop him at a checkpost in the jurisdiction of the Chamkani police station.

Police investigators believe that the police weren’t the target of the suicide bomber, who actually wanted to attack a Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl gathering at the party’s Mufti Mehmood Markaz headquarters, which was attended by leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman the same night.

“It appears that the bomber’s target was the JUI-F gathering, but it has yet to be confirmed,” a source in the police’s counter-terrorism department told Dawn.

Police believe bomber was planning to target JUI-F rally

He, however, said an investigation was going on, so further details of the attack were awaited.

A senior police official also insisted that the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam -Fazl was the likely target.

“Most probably yes as evident from the past ISKP attacks against the JUI-F gatherings,” he said.

The official said there was “no second opinion about this” but things would become clearer after the ongoing investigations were over.

The JUI-F has long been targeted by terrorists, with most of the attacks being claimed by the ISKP. Fifty-four people lost their lives in a suicide attack in July 2023 when a bomber triggered explosives strapped to his body at a JUI-F workers’ convention in the Bajaur tribal district of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

The attack occurred in Khar, the district headquarters and a town bordering Afghanistan.

According to witnesses, hundreds of JUI-F workers were present at the workers’ convention along with their local leaders when the suicide blast ripped through it. The ISKP claimed responsibility for the attack.

Both JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and party workers survived multiple terrorist attacks, while authorities issued several “threat alerts,” urging Fazl to ensure his safe movement.

On Oct 23, 2014, he survived in a suicide attack in Quetta when a bomber detonated his explosive vest outside a JUI-F rally. Two people were killed and dozens injured in the attack, according to police.

On March 30, 2011, the JUI-F chief remained unhurt when a bomber blew himself up near a convoy led by the JUI-F chief on the Peshawar-Islamabad Motorway.

The bomber, who rode a motorcycle, carried out the attack near the Swabi Interchange when the JUI-F leader’s convoy was around 12km from the venue of a party gathering. Two policemen and eight civilians were martyred in the attack.

The latest “threat alert” was issued by the Dera Ismail Khan police to the JUI-F chief on Feb 16. The police formally warned the JUI-F chief regarding a potential terrorist attack on him.

“Terrorists plan to target Maulana Fazlur Rehman for participating and interfering in religious and political matters,” the alert read.

The police urged Mr Fazl to keep his movement secret, increase his personal security and maintain a record of visitors, who are allowed to see him even after strict checking.

Published in Dawn, May 17th, 2025