Roadside bomb: One killed in attack on peace committee member in Swat

MINGORA:

One person was killed and seven others, including two women and one child, were injured on Tuesday when a remote-controlled bomb planted on the roadside exploded in Yakh Tankgey in Bishbanr, Swat.

Security officials said an elder of the local peace committee, Mian Sher Ali Jaja, was in a vehicle along with his family when the explosion occurred.

Jaja’s son Barkat Ali, who was driving the car, died on the spot while the others were severely injured. They were shifted to Saidu Teaching Hospital and are said to be in critical condition.

The injured were identified as Jaja himself, Mian Anwar Ali, Mohammad Ameen, Batkht Beraja, Sher Zada and 12-year-old Bawar Khan. The identity of the other woman could not be ascertained.

Security forces cordoned off the area following the incident and launched a search operation. No arrests were made till the filing of this report.

Jaja was on his way to Shangla district to offer condolences to victims of a blast in Poran tehsil on Monday that killed five people, including a DSP.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 29^th, 2013.