A wedding celebration turned into a scene of devastation in Pakistan’s north-west after a suicide bomber blew himself up among guests, killing at least seven people and injuring around 25 others, officials said. The attack took place on Friday night in Dera Ismail Khan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.Police said the blast occurred at the home of Noor Alam Mehsud, a pro-government peace committee leader, where a marriage ceremony was under way. Witnesses said guests had been dancing to the beat of drums when the attacker struck, detonating an explosive vest inside a crowded room.District Police Officer Sajjad Ahmed Sahibzada confirmed it was a suicide bombing. The force of the explosion caused part of the roof to collapse, trapping several people under debris and complicating rescue efforts. An emergency was declared at the District Headquarters Hospital as ambulances rushed casualties from the site.Bilal Ahmed Faizi, spokesperson for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Rescue 1122, said multiple ambulances, along with fire and disaster response vehicles, were deployed. Rescue teams worked through the rubble to pull out victims, with some of the wounded reported to be in critical condition.No group immediately claimed responsibility. However, suspicion is likely to fall on Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Pakistani Taliban, which has carried out frequent attacks in the region. The group is separate from but allied with the Afghan Taliban and has grown more active since the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan in 2021. Many TTP fighters are believed to operate from across the border.Authorities sealed off the area and launched an investigation. Initial reports suggested that Waheedullah Mehsud, also known as Jigri Mehsud, was among those killed.Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Sohail Afridi condemned the attack and sought a report from the provincial police chief, saying those responsible would be brought to justice. Governor Faisal Karim Kundi also expressed grief and ordered that the injured receive full medical support.
