Five members of the peace committee martyred; Police claim to have recovered suicide bomber’s severed head; High alert declared in hospitals
The body of a suicide bombing victim is taken to hospital. Photo: Express
DERA ISMAIL KHAN:
A suicide bomber struck a wedding ceremony at the residence of peace committee leaders near Qureshi Mor in Dera Ismail Khan, killing five peace committee members and injuring seven others, police confirmed Friday evening.
District Police Officer Sajjad Ahmed Sahibzada, while sharing initial details with the media, said that the attack took place during an ongoing wedding ceremony at the house of the peace committee leaders.
He confirmed that five people were killed instantly, while seven others were injured and were rushed to hospital for immediate medical attention.
According to police and security officials, the severed head of the suicide bomber, believed to be 17 years old, was recovered from the blast site and taken into custody for forensic examination and identification.
Investigative teams and forensic experts remained at the scene, collecting evidence to establish the identity of the attacker and trace the network behind the attack.
The explosion occurred at the height of the wedding festivities, abruptly plunging the family into mourning.
Police and rescue teams quickly cordoned off the site, while hospitals were placed on alert to ensure uninterrupted treatment of the injured.
Officials said investigations were underway to determine the motivations for the cowardly terrorist act.
KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi strongly condemned the blast, terming the incident deeply regrettable.
He requested a detailed report from the provincial police chief and ordered that the injured receive the best possible medical care. He further asked security agencies to carry out immediate investigations and identify those responsible for the attack.
Afridi expressed solidarity with the families of the victims, assuring that all possible support will be provided.
KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi has sought a detailed report on the blast, according to a statement by his spokesperson Dr Fazal Rahman. He contacted senior officials for updates on the incident, ordering that all possible medical assistance be provided.
Expressing grief over the loss of lives in the blast, Kundi called for immediate relief and support for the victims and their families.
This is not the first time that Mehsud, head of the Mehsud Peace Committee in South Waziristan, has been targeted.
In 2022, two suicide bombers attempted to attack him in his DI Khan office. The two attackers were killed outside the office and peace committee volunteers managed to foil their attempt.
Last month, three police officers were killed in a bomb attack targeting a police vehicle in DI Khan.
The district witnessed one of the worst attacks in recent times in November last year when six policemen, including trainees, were martyred, while 12 other policemen and a civilian were injured after a terror attack on the police training school.
DI Khan, strategically located at the junction of Balochistan, Punjab and KP, has long been a hotbed of militant violence.
The district has seen an increase in attacks since 2020, with 111 incidents reported resulting in the death of 71 police officers and the injury of 100 others.
Between 2020 and 2025, DI Khan witnessed a fluctuating pattern of attacks. In 2020, six attacks killed four police officers and injured two. The following year, 13 attacks left three dead and four injured.
Violence intensified in 2022, with 24 attacks killing 19 police officers and 27 injured, and peaked in 2023 with 39 attacks killing seven and injuring 27. Although attacks fell to 17 in 2024, casualties remained high, and as of December 2025, 12 attacks killed 15 police officers and injured 16.
The district of five Saraiki speaking tehsils borders Dera Ghazi Khan, Zhob district of Balochistan and South Waziristan. After the September 11, 2001 attacks, when terrorism spread across Pakistan, Dera Ismail Khan was one of the hardest hit areas.
Sectarian violence began here in 1987 and continues today. Since 2007, terrorist incidents have claimed the lives of many people, including senior police officers.
Last year, Pakistan saw a more than 25 percent increase in overall violence, recording at least 3,187 violence-related deaths and 1,981 injuries among civilians, security personnel and criminals, according to the Center for Security Research and Studies.
KP was the worst-affected region, accounting for nearly 68% (2,165) of total violence-related deaths and over 62% (732) of all violence incidents.
In KP, security forces dominate the operational landscape. The number of deaths during security operations (1,370) exceeded that of terrorist attacks (795) by 72%, highlighting that large-scale anti-terrorism campaigns are the main cause of casualties in the province.
