38 individuals dead in Kurram gun attack

38 people, including three women, were killed in an attack when assaulters opened fire on a passenger bus in the Ochat area of the Kurram district on Thursday.

The attacker targeted the convoy, which was travelling from Parachinar to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's capital, Peshawar, as per the police officials.

Ahmady Shama Station House Officer (SHO) Kaleem Shah confirmed to Dawn that 38 people were killed, including three women, and 11 were injured.

Interior Minister, while speaking to media outside Islamabad High Court (IHC), stated, “This past week has been difficult and upsetting; now 38 people have been martyred in Kurram.”

President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the attack and expressed condolences to the families of the dead.

“Attacking innocent passengers is a cowardly and inhumane act,” Pakistan Peoples Party media cell quoted President Zardari, adding that those responsible for the incident must be punished, and he directed that timely medical aid be provided to the injured.

The Kurram attack has been seen as the most lethal attack of the decade in Pakistan's history, according to reports.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur also condemned the attack and directed the Chief Secretary, provincial law minister and the area’s Member National Assembly and Member Provincial Assembly MPA to visit the Kurram district immediately.

“The provincial government, police and all relevant institutions are making serious efforts to improve the law and order situation in the area,” he said.

Kurram Deputy Commissioner (DC) Javedullah Mehsud told AFP that “Two separate convoys of members of the Shia community … were targeted by the terrorists in the Kurram district.”

“Both convoys consisted of around 40 vehicles travelling under police escort,” DC Mehsud added.

Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif condemned the attack, saying, “The enemies of the peace of the country attacked the convoy of innocent citizens which is tantamount to brutality. All attempts of anti-national elements to destroy the peace of the beloved country will be thwarted.”

Earlier, around 24 people were killed and 46 injured on November 9 in a bomb blast at Quetta Railway Station.

The banned and militant outfit Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) had claimed responsibility for the explosion.

In another attack on November 1, nine people, including five school-going children, were killed, and 29 were injured in a blast near girl's schools in Mastung, a Balochistan district.