Twin blasts in Bannu kill seven, injure three

BANNU: At least seven people were killed and three others injured in two successive roadside bomb explosions in Bannu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Saturday, according to police.

The incident occurred in the Barghanto area of the mountainous Wazir subdivision in Bannu. Police said a roadside improvised explosive device (IED) targeted a passenger Datsun van carrying members of a local peace committee. The powerful explosion completely destroyed the vehicle, killing five people on the spot and injuring several others.

The deceased were identified as Haji Ghaffar Din, Saqib Iqbal, Chhota Aziz, Rahmatullah, and Allah Noor, all belonging to the Hathi Khel tribe.

According to District Police Officer (DPO) Yasir Afridi, rescue teams and local residents rushed to the scene and began transporting the victims to nearby hospitals. However, a second roadside bomb exploded near the vehicle carrying the injured and the bodies of the deceased, killing two more people and injuring three others.

صدرِ مملکت آصف علی زرداری کی بنوں کے ضلع میں آئی ای ڈی دھماکے کی شدید مذمت، معصوم شہریوں کے جانی نقصان پر گہرے دکھ اور افسوس کا اظہار۔

صدرِپاکستان کا جاں بحق افراد کے اہلِ خانہ سے دلی ہمدردی اور تعزیت کا اظہار، زخمیوں کی جلد صحتیابی کے لیے نیک تمناؤں کا اظہار۔

صدر زرداری نے…

— The President of Pakistan (@PresOfPakistan) June 20, 2026

Police and rescue personnel immediately reached the area and shifted the bodies to a Rural Health Center (RHC), while the injured were taken to Khalifa Gul Nawaz Teaching (KGN) Hospital Bannu for treatment.

Security forces have launched an investigation into the incident, and efforts are underway to determine those responsible for the attacks.

Meanwhile, President Asif Ali Zardari strongly condemned the twin IED blasts and expressed deep sorrow over the loss of innocent lives. He extended condolences to the families of the victims and wished a speedy recovery to the injured.

Pakistan security forces ‘kill’ 16 khawarij in Bannu

The president stated that terrorists seek to undermine Pakistan’s diplomatic achievements and efforts to promote peace. He vowed that the country’s security forces and institutions would defeat the nefarious designs of terrorists and their facilitators.

Notably, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has allocated more than Rs191 billion for law and order in the Budget 2026–27, with a focus on protecting lives and property, strengthening security institutions, and ensuring a peaceful society.

According to the budget details, Rs3.562 billion has been set aside for thermal cameras, drones and advanced surveillance systems, Rs1.276 billion for bulletproof jackets and helmets, Rs7.9 billion for operational expenses of the police and Rs3.38 billion for Safe City projects.

The budget also includes the establishment of modern monitoring systems in D.I. Khan, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Bajaur, and other districts. The martyr package has been increased by 10 percent, while Rs1.63 billion has so far been paid to the families of 151 martyrs and 155 injured personnel.