DERA ISMAIL KHAN – Northwestern Pakistan witnessed deadly scenes on Saturday as a suicide bombing rocked anti-smuggling check post followed by gunfire targeting Rescue 1122 ambulance involved in the emergency response.
The initial explosion at Aman Mela police check post on the D.I. Khan–Quetta Road killed at least 12 people and injured 35 others, according to officials cited in the latest reports.
The blast occurred after an explosives-laden vehicle was rammed into the check post, triggering a powerful explosion that destroyed a large portion of the facility and also demolished a nearby house. The intensity of the blast was reportedly felt over a considerable distance, while heavy firing was also heard in the aftermath.
Police said the attack was a suicide bombing. The check post, located near Mughal Kot and Darazinda close to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa-Balochistan border, is used for security and checking along the D.I. Khan–Quetta route.
Rescue operation turns Deadly
As emergency teams rushed to evacuate casualties, the violence took another grim turn. A Rescue 1122 ambulance transporting victims from the blast site came under gunfire. One rescue worker was killed and two others were seriously injured, according to Rescue 1122 officials.
The deceased rescue official was identified as Shareefullah, while Anees and Imtiaz sustained serious injuries, according to the rescue service. Despite the attack on their own team, rescue personnel continued their operation, transporting victims and bodies from the blast site and providing emergency medical assistance.
More than 25 rescue personnel, six ambulances and a fire vehicle took part in the initial relief operation, while four additional ambulances were dispatched from Dera Ismail Khan to help evacuate the wounded.
The latest official assessment puts the blast casualties at 12 dead and 35 injured. The deceased reportedly included men, women, a minor and a Customs official, while police said no law-enforcement or security personnel were among those killed in the initial explosion.
A number of injured victims were shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital, with authorities directing medical teams to provide emergency treatment. A bomb disposal team was also sent to the site to examine the scene and determine the nature of the explosives used.
The back-to-back attacks have heightened security concerns in a region already facing repeated militant violence. Security sources described the assault as another attack targeting security personnel and civilians, while concerns have also been raised over possible connections between militant and criminal networks involved in illegal activities.
A large contingent of security personnel reached the area following the blast, with the site cordoned off and a search operation launched. The incident has also fueled anxiety among residents amid growing concerns over the deteriorating security environment in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The latest violence comes amid a broader increase in militant attacks across the province. Dawn reported that mainland KP recorded 54 terrorist attacks in August, compared with 36 in July, according to monthly data compiled by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, President Asif Ali Zardari and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi condemned the attack and expressed condolences to the victims’ families.
Authorities directed that the injured receive the best possible medical treatment while rescue and security operations continue in the affected area.
