Islamabad, Jan 24 (NationPress) A tragic incident unfolded when a suicide bombing resulted in the deaths of at least six individuals and left over a dozen others injured during a wedding celebration in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, as reported by local media on Saturday.

The explosion targeted the residence of Noor Alam Mehsud, who leads the Aman (Peace) Committee, in the Dera Ismail Khan district late Friday evening, where Mehsud himself was also among the injured.

As the wedding festivities were taking place, the blast sent waves of panic and chaos throughout the venue. Many of the injured were promptly transported to nearby hospitals for medical attention, as per leading broadcaster Geo News.

Authorities are currently investigating the nature of the explosion, with preliminary assessments suggesting it was a suicide attack. Following the blast, police reported that attackers also opened fire.

Forensic teams were on-site for several hours, gathering evidence to identify the perpetrator and dismantle the network responsible for the attack.

Authorities recovered the severed head of the suspected bomber, believed to be around 17 years old, from the blast location for forensic analysis and identification, as reported by The Express Tribune.

In response to this horrific incident, KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi condemned the attack and requested an immediate report from the provincial police chief. He emphasized the importance of providing the best medical care to the injured.

Describing the event as “unfortunate,” the chief minister assured that those behind this attack would face justice.

The regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, which border Afghanistan, have seen a rise in such violent occurrences recently.

This attack was not the first attempt on Noor Alam Mehsud; in 2022, two suicide bombers had tried to target him at his office in Dera Ismail Khan, which was successfully thwarted by peace committee volunteers, according to The Express Tribune.

In December, three police personnel lost their lives in a bomb attack aimed at a police vehicle in Dera Ismail Khan.

Statistics from the Centre for Research and Security Studies indicate that Pakistan experienced over a 25 percent rise in violence last year, with at least 3,187 deaths and 1,981 injuries attributed to conflicts involving civilians, security forces, and criminals.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was notably the most affected area, accounting for nearly 68 percent, or 2,165, of the nation's total violence-related fatalities, alongside over 62 percent, or 732, of all reported incidents. In the province, fatalities resulting from security operations reached 1,370, surpassing those from militant attacks, which stood at 795, by 72 percent.