Unknown miscreants on Saturday launched a rocket attack on the house of the minister of state on tribal affairs, Mubarak Zeb Khan, in Bajaur district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P).
DPO Bajaur Waqas Rafiq confirmed the incident, stating that it occurred at 1am, after which the police immediately launched an investigation. "The projectile damaged a portion of the minister's residence but no one was reported injured," he said.
This was the second attack on Khan in as many months. Last month, in May, alleged terrorists had blown up the main gate of his house with an improvised explosive device (IED).
Following the Saturday attack, Mubarak Zeb Khan issued a statement, stating that such cowardly attacks could not deter him from serving the people.
He said that the earlier attack, which occurred on May 14, was claimed by the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
He said he had been receiving threatening calls and messages from international numbers recently.
The minister suggested that operatives of the banned outfit near the Pakistan-Afghan border might have carried out the attack with the support of some local elements.
He claimed that he was being targeted due to his people-centered approach and his attempts to utilize available resources to uplift the region.
"Those involved in such attacks are clearly opposed to the ongoing development work," he noted.
"They contacted us through international numbers and issued threats to halt the developmental activities. But we are not afraid. The development of Bajaur will not stop." he said.
Reaffirming their commitment, he said, "We have confronted such elements in the past and will continue to do so. We will not back down from our mission to serve the people of this region."
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the rocket attack, noting that such unacceptable acts of violence aimed at destabilizing peace in the region.
He directed the relevant authorities to conduct an immediate and thorough investigation into the incident and to arrest the culprits. "The government is committed to eliminate terrorism and ensure the safety and security of public representatives and citizens across the country," he said.
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