Swat mourns as blast toll rises to 17

PESHAWAR:

The death toll from Sunday's suicide bombing outside Kabal Police Station in Swat climbed to 17 on Monday, with seven policemen among those martyred, as the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government ordered a full-scale operation against terrorists and renewed its pledge to restore peace in the region.

According to an updated list released by Swat police spokesperson Nasir Iqbal Karimi, the victims include seven police officials and 10 civilians, while 27 others, comprising 18 policemen and nine civilians, sustained injuries.

Police also revised the death toll from an earlier figure of 19 announced in a preliminary statement.

Meanwhile, the atmosphere across Swat remained heavy with grief on Monday.

Funeral prayers for the ordinary citizens and police personnel who attained martyrdom in the tragic incident were offered in their ancestral areas, including Kabal Marchaki, Kabal village, Gul Jaba and other localities.

Poignant scenes unfolded during the burials as every eye was filled with tears and the entire region sank into deep mourning. Large numbers of political and social figures, along with ordinary citizens, attended the funerals and prayed for the elevated ranks of the martyrs and for patience for the bereaved families.

In a show of solidarity with the affected families and to condemn the attack, the trader community called for a complete shutter-down strike in Kabal and the surrounding areas on Monday. Kabal Bazaar, all major and minor markets, shopping malls, superstores, medical stores and other commercial centres remained fully closed, leaving the streets deserted.

Trader leaders strongly denounced the incident and declared that the peace of Swat would not be allowed to be disturbed under any circumstances.