MIRANSHAH:
One person was martyred while 19 others, including two security personnel, sustained injuries in a vehicle-borne suicide attack near the Chashma Sarband check post on the main Bannu-Miranshah road in North Waziristan district, officials said on Friday.
Police said a suspicious vehicle laden with explosives came close to the check post and exploded in a powerful blast. The sound of the explosion was heard across a wide area, spreading fear and panic among residents in the vicinity.
Sources said the attack took place very close to the check post in Miranshah in the evening. A football ground is also located adjacent to the check post where a large number of local youths and residents had gathered.
Due to the presence of people at the ground at the time of the blast, most of the injured were civilians. Following the explosion, the Bannu-Miranshah road was closed to all kinds of traffic, police and medics said.
The Medical Superintendent of District Headquarters Hospital Miranshah, Dr Asif Iqbal, said the injured included children, elderly people and young men. He added that four of the wounded were in critical condition and were being provided treatment at the hospital.
Police sources said two security personnel were also among the injured. Dr Iqbal said that after the incident, an emergency was declared at the hospital and all doctors, nursing staff and other medical personnel were present on duty.
