At least 44 killed in blast at political rally in Pakistan

[muriel_volestrangler]

At least 44 people have been killed and more than 150 injured in a bomb blast in Pakistan’s north-western Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province that targeted a political party gathering.

Police said the explosion in the Bajaur district, bordering Afghanistan, was caused by a suicide bomb. No group claimed responsibility for the attack.

More than 500 supporters of the conservative Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam party, a government coalition partner, were gathered for a convention ahead of elections later this year when the blast occurred on Sunday afternoon.
...
Pakistan’s local Taliban group, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, known as TTP, has increased its attacks on security officials, including army and the police officers. In January a TTP suicide bomber blew himself up in a mosque inside a police compound in the north-western city of Peshawar, killing more than 80 officers.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jul/30/pakistan-explosion-political-event-khyber-pakhtunkhwa-province

Not sure if the TTP is the perpetrator, or if that's just a best guess.

[MrWowWow]

1. Somebody's Hubbly Bubbly Malfunction?

...or is this the only way ideological differences are settled in fiscally and morally bankrupt Pakistan?

[Chainfire]

2. Dang, Pakistan is becoming about as bad as the US.

[Hortensis]

3. Poor people.

[muriel_volestrangler]

4. Islamic State says it carried out Pakistan suicide bombing that killed 54

Authorities had indicated that the jihadist group IS in Khorasan province (ISKP) was behind Sunday’s attack, which was confirmed by Islamic State’s Amaq news agency on Monday night who published a photographer of the suicide bomber.

“A suicide attacker from the Islamic State … detonated his explosive jacket in the middle of a crowd,” said the news outlet.

ISKP, a branch of Islamic State centred in Afghanistan, has declared itself an enemy of the Afghan Taliban, accusing them of not imposing a strict enough Islamic regime, and has been behind several recent deadly attacks targeting clerics, diplomats and schools in Afghanistan. It has also condemned and targeted JUI-F for associating with the Taliban and the Pakistani government, accusing the party of betraying its Islamic principles.

The Pakistan Taliban, known as the TTP, had quickly distanced themselves from the bombing, with their spokesperson saying that “such crimes cannot be justified in any way”.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jul/31/islamic-state-pakistan-suicide-bombing-taliban