Nine dead and several injured after a powerful explosion near Naurang police station in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Police investigating possible terror link.
A powerful explosion that occurred on Tuesday in the bustling market area of Naurang Bazaar in Lakki Marwat district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has resulted in nine fatalities and multiple injuries, according to police reports. The blast took place near a rickshaw in the Sarai Naurang area, causing significant damage to shops and vehicles.
District Police Officer (DPO) Nazir Khan stated that 23 injured individuals were being treated at Sarai Naurang Hospital immediately following the explosion. Seven others with minor wounds had been discharged from the hospital. He added that several shops and vehicles in the vicinity sustained substantial damage as a result of the blast.
Earlier, police reported that the incident occurred near a rickshaw in Naurang Bazaar. Following the explosion, hospital administration confirmed that seven victims killed in the blast were transferred to Naurang Hospital. Two traffic police personnel were also among those martyred in the blast, according to officials.
Hospital authorities revealed that the injured included women and children. The incident led to an emergency being imposed at Sarai Naurang Hospital, with confirmation from hospital administration. DPO Khan informed that a vehicle was used in the explosion and more than one maund of explosive material had been planted inside it. He indicated that terrorists were targeting innocent people, adding that investigations are ongoing to determine whether the blast was a suicide attack or remotely controlled.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi expressed deep sorrow over the incident, stating that the provincial government would provide all possible support. The Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also issued a statement expressing grief and sorrow for the seven martyred individuals, including two traffic police personnel. He emphasized that terrorists will not be allowed to obstruct peace and development in Pakistan.
The premier directed swift inquiries into identifying those responsible and bringing them to justice. Pakistan has witnessed an increase in cross-border terrorist incidents since the Afghan Taliban took power in Afghanistan in 2021. Islamabad has repeatedly urged Kabul to prevent its territory from being used by terror groups involved in numerous attacks on Pakistani security forces and civilians.
Pakistan launched Operation Ghazab lil-Haq in February this year, following a ceasefire agreement with Afghanistan in October 2025 after clashes at multiple border points. Despite many rounds of talks, both countries have yet to reach an agreement due to the Afghan Taliban regime's reluctance to take action against terrorist organizations operating from its soil.
