Three children were injured in a blast on Peshawar’s Warsak Road on Tuesday morning, rescue and police officials said.
According to Warsak Road Superintendent of Police Arshad Khan, the incident took place near the Babu Garhi Chowk in the limits of the Machini Gate police station.
Police and rescue teams were sent to the site as soon as the blast was reported, he told Dawn.com, adding that the injured children were moved to a private hospital.
The official further stated that four kilogrammes of explosives, planted on the side of the road, were used in the blast. “Further investigation is under way,” SP Khan added.
Meanwhile, spokesperson of the Peshawar Lady Reading Hospital said the condition of two children was critical. “All of them are aged between seven and 10,” Asim Khan stated, adding that none of the children were wearing a school uniform.
Earlier, Rescue 1122 spokesperson Bilal Ahmed Faizi told Dawn.com that windows of a nearby building and windshield of two Suzuki vans were shattered due to the intensity of the blast.
Pakistan has witnessed an uptick in terror activities in recent months, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, after the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan ended its ceasefire with the government in November last year.
Last month, five people were killed and over 20 sustained injuries in a blast targeting police in KP’s Dera Ismail Khan.
According to data released by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), the country experienced 34 per cent increase in anti-state violence last month.
It revealed that KP emerged as the most affected province, documenting 51 attacks, causing 54 fatalities and 81 injuries. Meanwhile, Balochistan recorded nine attacks, resulting in 18 fatalities, including that of 15 security forces personnel and three civilians.
This is a developing story that is being updated as the situation evolves. Initial reports in the media can sometimes be inaccurate. We will strive to ensure timeliness and accuracy by relying on credible sources, such as concerned, qualified authorities and our staff reporters.
