SWAT | Pakistan

UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Thursday strongly condemned the suicide bombing in Swat last week, calling it a “heinous and cowardly” terrorist attack after Pakistan warned the body that multiple terrorist groups continue to operate from safe havens inside Afghanistan. In a press statement issued by the Office of the UN secretary general’s spokesperson, the council said it condemned “in the strongest terms” the “heinous and cowardly” suicide attack outside the police station in Swat’s Kabal on Aug 2. “This reprehensible act of terrorism resulted in the grievous loss of at least 16 Pakistani nationals, mostly civilians, and injuries to dozens of others. Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has claimed responsibility for this terrorist attack,” it added. The UNSC also expressed solidarity with Pakistan, saying, “The members of the Security Council express their deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and to the government and the people of Pakistan, and wish a ...

IT is a bitter irony that terrorists struck a protest against violence in Swat on Sunday, causing at least 17 fatalities. Both policemen and civilians were martyred in the atrocity. Reports indicate that a suicide bomber blew himself up near a police station as the anti-terror protest was underway when officers tried to search him. Some media outlets have said the banned TTP has claimed responsibility for the bombing. This bloodbath should lead to thorough counterterrorism action, as the people of Swat — and indeed the rest of KP — deserve to live in an atmosphere free of terrorism and violence. Unfortunately, as pointed out in an exclusive report published in this paper, gaps in training have left LEAs in KP vulnerable to ‘double-tap’ or ‘two-stage’ attacks by terrorists. Moreover, the casualty numbers from July, and the first half of 2026, indicate that a fresh CT strategy is needed to bring down the number of fatalities, and effectively neutralise the threat of terrorism. The fact is that terrorists appear...

Swat mourns as blast toll rises to 17

SWAT: The death toll from Sunday’s suicide bombing near a police station in Swat rose to 17 on Monday, including several policemen. The suicide bombing had taken place near the Kabal Police Station while a protest against lawlessness was under way at the adjoining public square. Police said that the suicide bomber had detonated his explosives after police personnel atte­mpted to stop and search him at the entrance to the police station. According to a list of casualties shared by Swat police spokesperson Nasir Iqbal Karimi, seven policemen and 10 civilians have lost their lives in the incident while 18 policemen and nine civilians have been injured. Police have revised down the death toll from an earlier tally of 19, which they shared in a statement earlier in the day. Karimi said in the statement that a large-scale rescue operation had been launched immediately after the attack, in which more than 50 Rescue 1122 personnel participated. “Rescue teams provided first aid at the scene before shifting the injured...

SWAT: The death toll from Sunday’s suicide bombing near a police station in Swat rose to 19 on Monday, with police saying that four more victims had succumbed to their injuries. The suicide bombing had taken place near the Kabal Police Station while a protest against lawlessness was under way at the adjoining public square. Police said that the suicide bomber had detonated his explosives after police personnel atte­mpted to stop and search him at the entrance to the police station. The bombing had claimed the lives of 15 people, including police officials, and left 18 injured. “However, four more victims succumbed to their injuries during treatment, raising the death toll to 19,” Swat police spokesperson Nasir Iqbal Karimi said in a statement. The statement added that a large-scale rescue operation was launched immediately after the attack, in which more than 50 Rescue 1122 personnel participated. “Rescue teams provided first aid at the scene before shifting the injured to various hospitals for further treatm...

Swat - At least 15 people, including six police personnel, were martyred and dozens of others injured in a suicide bombing outside Kabal Police Station in Swat on Sunday, in one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in recent months.

Fifteen people, including six policemen, martyred Over 25 people injured in powerful explosion Swat DC declares

At least 14 people, including police officials, were martyred and 22 others injured in a suicide attack on Swat’s Kabal police station on Sunday, police said. Swat police spokesperson Nasir Iqbal Karimi, while speaking to Dawn, confirmed the death toll. Malakand Division Deputy Inspector General of Police Fida Hussain told AFP that police officers were among those martyred. He added that 22 people had been wounded and another body, suspected to be that of the bomber, had been brought to hospital. According to the Swat District Police Officer (DPO) Umar Khan, the suicide bomber detonated explosives after police personnel attempted to stop and search him at the entrance of the police station. The DPO said that the police remained on high alert. “Security forces have cordoned off the area, and an investigation is underway to collect further evidence,“ he added. The explosion occurred near the gate of Kabal police station while hundreds of people were participating in a public demonstration at nearby Kabal Chowk ...

DC Swat declares emergency throughout the Swat District with immediate effect

Peshawar - Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Muhammad Sohail Afridi on Thursday inaugurated and launched several development projects worth more than Rs12 billion during a one-day visit to Swat, aimed at strengthening higher education, public infrastructure, social services and policing.

SWAT: An ice drug addict killed his wife in the Balasor Chuprial area of Swat on Saturday, residents said. They said that the suspect had a history of drug addiction and had reportedly been arrested and jailed multiple times in narcotics-related cases. On the day of the incident, the woman was reportedly on her way to seek medical treatment. Her 17-year-old son had given her money for the treatment expenses, they said. The residents alleged that when the woman reached near a graveyard, her husband attempted to take the money from her. When she refused, insisting that the money was needed for her treatment, the suspect allegedly attacked and killed her before fleeing with the cash. The couple’s three-year-old daughter was also present at the scene. According to a resident who was among the first to arrive after hearing the child crying, the young girl was found sitting beside her mother’s body, clutching her mother’s shoes and crying inconsolably. The witness said he carried the child home, but throughout the ...

At least eight people were killed and seven others injured after a passenger coach plunged into a ravine in the Charbagh Adu area of Swat on Sunday, according to Rescue 1122 officials.

ISLAMABAD: The capital police have sought the services of two army majors and 16 Special Services Group (SSG) commandos to train personnel of the newly formed Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) force, Dawn has learnt. In this regard, a written request was sent from the office of the inspector general of police (IGP), Islamabad, to the office of the chief commissioner, Islamabad. The letter, signed by the deputy inspector general of police (Headquarters), sought the requisition of the services of two majors and 16 serving SSG-trained officials on a secondment basis for the capital police. The letter stated that the Islamabad police are performing multifaceted duties, including maintenance of law and order, crime fighting and prevention and ensuring security and route duties. Request sent for services of two majors and 16 SSG commandos on secondment It further requested that the concerned quarters be approached to place the services of two majors and 16 serving SSG-trained officials of the Pakistan Army at the ...

SWAT: Unidentified assailants hurled a hand grenade on the residence of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Housing Dr Amjad Ali in Swat district on Wednesday morning, police said. According to Swat District Police Officer (DPO) Muhammad Omar Khan, the incident occurred in the Shamozai area of Barikot tehsil, where unidentified suspects hurled a hand grenade at the minister’s house. “At the time of the attack, the provincial minister was not present at his residence,” the DPO told Dawn. “The explosion caused minor damage to the house’s boundary wall,” he said, adding that the minister’s family members remained safe. Following the attack, police cordoned off the area and launched an investigation to identify and arrest those responsible, DPO Khan added. He further said that security around the residence and nearby areas had been tightened as a precautionary measure and that all possible angles were being examined. Last month, at least one person was injured after unknown assailants opened fire on PTI Senator Khurr...

An earthquake was felt in the Swat district and adjoining areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, causing brief panic among residents.

Harsh winter stares at flood-hit Buner, Swat

16 of a family perish in Swat crash

At least 15 people were killed — all from the same family — when a Punjab-bound truck overturned in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Swat district early morning on Thursday, according to a Rescue 1122 official. Malakand Rescue 1122 Spokesperson Shafiqa Gul said in a statement, “At least 15 members of the same family were killed and eight others sustained injuries when a truck overturned near tunnel No. 3 of the Swat Motorway on Thursday morning.” The dead and injured include men, women and children, she said. “The family was from the Gabral area of the Bahrain tehsil and were travelling to Punjab when the tragic incident occurred,” the statement said. Rescue teams rushed to the site of the incident and carried out relief operations alongside the Motorway police, according to the spokesperson. She further said that the injured had been taken to the District Headquarters Hospital, Batkhela. “Doctors at the hospital confirmed that 15 people had lost their lives,” she said, adding that four of the injured were in critical co...

PESHAWAR/ISLAMABAD - A Levies constable who was guarding a polio vaccination team was killed in a brazen gun attack in the Arkot area in Matta tehsil of Swat on Tuesday.

A Levies constable deployed for the security of a polio team was killed when unidentified assailants opened fire on him in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Swat district on Tuesday, according to the police. The attack comes a day after the government launched a nationwide polio eradication campaign, aiming to vaccinate over 45 million children. A special order was issued for the campaign, with the deployment of 285 police personnel across the country to provide security to the vaccination teams. According to Swat’s District Police Officer (DPO) Muhammad Umar Khan, the martyred Levies constable was performing his duty along with a polio team comprising two female health workers. “The workers were administering vaccines inside a house while the constable was standing guard outside when he was attacked,” he said. “The assailants fled the scene after the incident.” Khan added that police and law enforcement officials had reached the area and launched an investigation. “The area has been cordoned off, and a search operation i...