PARACHINAR: An improvised explosive device (IED) planted on the Peshawar-Parachinar highway at Charkhel area in lower parts of Kurram tribal district detonated with a loud explosion early Sunday morning.
No casualties were reported in the explosion.
According to police sources, the IED was planted by militants at Charkhel, with its wiring extending several meters away for remote detonation. The device exploded with a bang, creating a large crater in the road. The sound of the blast was reportedly heard in the surrounding areas.
Local tribal leader Jalal Bangash and religious scholar Allama Syed Tajammul Hussain said that the IED was likely intended to target a convoy scheduled to pass through the area. However, they said that the explosion occurred before the convoy’s arrival, averting potential loss of life and damage.
They urged the authorities to ensure the safety of the Peshawar-Parachinar highway and reopen it for traffic. They also called for action against those responsible for repeated incidents of terrorism at Charkhel.
Azmat Alizai, coordinator for the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) in Kurram, pointed out that the Peshawar-Parachinar highway had been closed to traffic for over a month.
He said that this caused inconvenience to the local population. He urged the government to take steps to ensure safety of the main route connecting Peshawar to Parachinar.