According to hospital sources, the explosion injured 57 people, three of whom were civilians. Hours after a CTD raid in Lakki Marwat resulted in the death of three suspected militants, an explosion happened on the grounds of the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) office.
The explosion took place inside the police station at around 8:20 p.m., according to District Police Officer Swat Shafiullah. The nature of the explosion, however, had not yet been independently verified at the time of reporting.
The incident, according to the preliminary investigation, was caused by “carelessness,” not any terrorist activity or suicide blast, DIG Malakand Nasir Mehmood Satti asserted in a statement to the media later that evening.
He clarified that the explosion happened inside an old CTD office that served as a weapons storage facility on the grounds of the police station. According to the police officer, an investigation is still ongoing based on new evidence.
The police station’s roof, the CTD office, and a mosque housed inside the station were all damaged by the explosion. The force of the explosion is said to have trapped at least 20 policemen beneath the crumpled roof.
The explosion also started a fire, which resulted in more harm. Imdad Khan, a wounded policeman who was taken to the Saidu Teaching Hospital, claimed that he and other officers were in the kitchen when the intense blast tore through the structure.
Khan described how the kitchen partially collapsed and a huge fire broke out following the explosion. He reported hearing several explosions, which the DIG explained were minor explosions brought on by the explosion at the weapons depot.
After the explosion, medical facilities declared an emergency, and Rescue 1122 teams arrived on the scene. Security was increased, and the area was cordoned off by law enforcement. In the meantime, a protest against the explosion in Mingora today has been called by the Swat Olasi Pasoon group.
Three alleged militants were killed in a separate incident in Lakki Marwat during an encounter with the CTD. Among the dead militants was Nouman, who is accused of having as his target retired colonel Muqarab Khan, who was shot dead on Sunday at his home by armed men.
On the second day of Eid Ul Fitr, the former army officer, who had previously worked for an intelligence agency, was hosting guests in his Hujra when two armed strangers burst in and opened fire. Khan was killed, but the armed men who had taken other people hostage and held them at gunpoint were able to flee.
Law enforcement officers made an effort to pursue the attackers, but they escaped on a motorbike and headed for the riverine forest known as Darga. The CTD was informed on Monday of a militant hideout, and when they arrived there, the militants opened fire.
Around ten militants with heavy weapons were well-prepared for the encounter, according to CTD officials. Three militants, including Nouman, were killed in the ensuing gun battle, and Tehseenullah suffered injuries.
The police and security forces began a search operation because CTD officials thought that other militants may have been hurt as well and might be nearby.
Inspector Javed Iqbal and Constable Irfan of the CTD suffered serious injuries and were transported to the Khalif Gulnawaz Hospital and the Combined Military Hospital in Bannu.
The targeted killing of the retired military officer after the search operation was conducted, according to the CTD officials, was carried out by an organised militant group.
