The death toll from a suspected suicide bombing at an anti-smuggling checkpost in Dera Ismail Khan has risen to 13, while more than 30 people were injured in the attack. Two Rescue 1122 workers were also killed when an ambulance involved in the emergency response later came under fire.
According to the 24NewsHD TV channel, the initial blast took place at the Aman Mela checkpost in the Darazinda area of Dera Ismail Khan on the Dera Ismail Khan-Quetta Road. According to officials, an explosives-laden vehicle was rammed into the checkpost, causing a powerful explosion.
The victims included police and Customs personnel as well as civilians. Initial official reports said six police personnel, two Customs officials, two women and a two-year-old child were among those killed. More than 30 people were injured and taken to hospitals for treatment.
The blast caused extensive damage to the checkpost and a nearby house. Security personnel cordoned off the area and launched a search operation, while rescue teams continued efforts to recover victims and assist the injured.
In a separate attack following the bombing, a Rescue 1122 ambulance came under fire while transporting victims from the blast site. Two rescue workers were killed and another was injured in the attack, according to Rescue 1122 officials. The deceased rescuers were identified as Imtiaz and Sharifullah.
Officials said the ambulance was carrying victims from the blast when it was attacked near the Darazinda area. Rescue teams continued their work despite the attack and shifted the injured rescuers to hospital for treatment.
The president, prime minister and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi condemned the terrorist attack and expressed grief over the loss of life. They paid tribute to those killed and prayed for the early recovery of the injured.
Mohsin Naqvi described the attack as an act of extreme brutality and said there could be no justification for the violence.
Political leaders, including Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Memon, also condemned the attack and expressed solidarity with the families of the victims.
Authorities have continued investigations into the blast and subsequent attack on the rescue ambulance as security forces work to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incidents.
Reporter: Ahmad Mansoor