SWAT: At least 12 police personnel lost their lives and more than 50, including a lady cop, were injured in a multiple blasts that ripped through the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) police station in Swat’s Kabal town in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province Monday night, highlighting the ongoing security challenges faced by Pakistan.
The federal government as well as leading political figures rushed to condemn the attack and vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Heavy contingents of law enforcement agencies (LEAs) rushed to the scene, where witnesses said that a section of the police station building had collapsed as a result of the explosion. The Health Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa declared a health emergency in district Swat and kept all hospitals on red alert. The Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar was also put on high alert to cope with emergencies.
Footage obtained by MM News Tuesday morning shows flattened portion of the CTD building in Swat.
The district police officer (DPO) said that the police station building was damaged due to the explosions, and the nature of the blast is currently under investigation. A police official injured in the incident, Imdad Khan, told media that initial information showed the attack occurred around 8:20 pm inside the police station premises, which also housed the CTD and a mosque.
According to DSP Attaullah, the explosion resulted in the flattening of the police station building and extensive damage to nearby structures. As a result, some people were trapped under debris, while others were taken to Saidu Sharif Teaching Hospital for medical attention. Emergency measures were implemented at all nearby hospitals, and the death toll is expected to climb.
