At least nine people, including two traffic police personnel, were killed and 33 others injured in an explosion in the Sarai Naurang tehsil of Lakki Marwat in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) on Tuesday, medical superintendent (MS) of Naurang hospital confirmed.

According to the MS, a total of 42 people were brought to the hospital from the site of the incident, out of whom nine had died. The death toll may rise further as rescue and medical operations continue in the area.

In a statement, Bannu DIG Sajjad Khan said initial investigations suggested that explosive material had been planted in a motorcycle. He added that Bomb Disposal Squad experts reached the site, collected evidence, and were trying to determine the exact nature of the blast.

“A heavy police contingent has been deployed in the area and was conducting a search and strike operation,” Khan stated. He visited the blast site in Naurang Bazaar and later went to the District Headquarters Hospital, where he met the injured.

Lakki Marwat police spokesperson Qudratullah Khan said the martyred police personnel were identified as Adil Jan and Rahatullah, saying the bodies were shifted to the Tehsil Headquarters Hospital, while several injured were referred to hospitals in Bannu in critical condition.

According to Qudratullah, at the time of the blast, traffic police personnel were performing routine duty to regulate traffic between Bannu and Dera Ismail Khan when the explosion occurred suddenly.

Videos circulating on social media show extensive damage to shops, rickshaws and nearby properties caused by the blast.

Immediately after the incident, a heavy police contingent led by the DSP of Naurang Circle reached the site, cordoned off the area, collected evidence and launched rescue operations.

According to Rescue 1122 spokesperson Shadab Khan, ambulances and rescue teams were dispatched to the site immediately after receiving information. He urged the public to cooperate with rescue services and avoid unnecessary gatherings at the site.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep grief over the martyrdom of people, including two traffic police personnel, in a blast at Sarai Naurang Bazaar in Lakki Marwat.

The prime minister, in a statement, reiterated that all relevant institutions and the government were working with unwavering resolve to purge the country of terrorism and emphasised that terrorists would not be allowed to impede the nation’s journey towards peace and progress.

Paying tribute to the sacrifices made in the fight against terrorism, PM Shehbaz noted that all law enforcement agencies and the public had rendered invaluable sacrifices in this struggle, also directed the authorities concerned to complete the inquiry into the incident immediately to identify those responsible and bring them to justice.

The prime minister also prayed for the elevation of the martyred souls in paradise and for the swift recovery of those injured in the incident.

K-P Chief Minister Sohail Afridi took notice of the explosion and sought a report on the incident from the inspector general of police.

“The martyrdom of two traffic police personnel and five civilians in the incident is deeply tragic,” he said.

The chief minister said the provincial government shared the grief of the victims’ families and would provide every possible assistance. He also directed authorities to ensure the provision of the best possible medical facilities to those injured.

Read: Death toll from Bannu police attack rises to 15

K-P Governor Faisal Karim Kundi condemned the explosion and expressed deep sorrow over the deaths of innocent people.

In a statement, the governor expressed sympathy with the families of the victims and said he shared their grief in this difficult time.

He also expressed good wishes for the speedy recovery of those injured in the blast and said the increasing incidents of terrorism across the province, particularly in the southern districts, were deeply alarming.

He called on the provincial government to take serious and practical measures to uphold the rule of law and ensure lasting peace.

The governor said terrorists involved in shedding the blood of innocent people deserved no leniency and described them as enemies of peace and humanity in the province.

He added that the sacrifices made by the people of the province, police and security forces in the fight against terrorism would not go in vain.

On Sunday, the number of police personnel martyred in a brazen attack on a Bannu police checkpoint rose to 15, as a banned outfit, Ittehad Mujahideen Pakistan, belonging to Fitna al-Khawarij, claimed responsibility.

On the night between Saturday and Sunday, terrorists rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into the Fateh Khel police checkpoint in Bannu, triggering a massive blast that completely reduced the structure to rubble.

Bannu Regional Police Officer (RPO) Sajjad Khan said that a total of 18 police personnel were present at the checkpoint at the time of the attack.

“Of them, 15 embraced martyrdom on the spot, while three sustained serious injuries,” he said.

The explosion also caused extensive damage to nearby residential buildings and structures.