Caught On Camera: The Moment Powerful Blast Hit Pak Political Meet

A video showing a blast at a political gathering of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F (JUI-F), a leading Islamic party in northwest Pakistan, on Sunday is circulating on social media. It shows a large gathering, presumably of party workers, listening to an address by a leader when the explosion occurs. Forty four people were killed and dozens more injured in the suicide bombing at the convention of the party, a government coalition partner and led by an influential firebrand cleric – in Khar, near the Afghan border in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Watch the video:

Other clips circulating online show the blast taking place close to the stage where several leaders of the party were sitting. As one of the leaders of the party speaks to the attendees, an explosion takes place on the right side of the stage.

“The tent had collapsed on one side, trapping people who were desperately attempting to escape,” Abdullah Khan, who tried to help the victims, told news agency AFP.

“There was utter confusion, with human flesh, limbs, and body parts scattered throughout the area, alongside lifeless bodies,” he added.

The police in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa said on Monday that an initial probe has suggested that the banned terrorist group ISIS is behind the attack.

“We are still investigating and gathering information on the Bajaur blast. The Initial probe shows that banned outfit Daesh (ISIS) was involved,” Geo News quoted police officials as saying.

More than 400 workers of the party had gathered for the meeting.

District Police Officer Nazir Khan was quoted as saying by news agency PTI that the police have taken three suspects into custody.

Provincial police chief Akhtar Hayat Khan said 10 kilogrammes of explosives were used in the blast. He said the bomber was among the attendees seated in the front rows of the convention.