Blast in KP's Lakki Marwat claims 9 lives

LAKKI MARWAT: At least nine people, including two traffic policemen, were martyred on Tuesday in a blast in the Serai Naurang tehsil of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Lakki Marwat district, police said. Initially, Lakki Marwat district police officer’s spokesperson Qudratullah Khan, in a statement, said that seven people, including two traffic cops, were killed while 23 others were injured. He identified the martyred police officials as Adil Jan and Rahatullah. Separately, Lakki Marwat Deputy Inspector General of Police Sajjad Khan said that both the deceased were traffic police officials. A statement issued by the KP chief minister’s office also stated that the officials were traffic policemen. Subsequently, Lakki Marwat Deputy Commissioner Hameedullah Khan issued a statement saying that at least nine people were martyred and another 30-35 were injured in the blast. He said that, as per initial reports, terrorists had planted explosives in a rickshaw. Khan also visited the Tehsil Headquarters Hospital in Sarai Naurang, where the injured were reciving medical attention and directed the administration to provide them with the best available facilities. He added that the critically injured had been referred to the District Headquarters Hospitals in Bannu and Peshawar. Videos circulating on social media platforms showed several shops and three-wheelers damaged in the blast. The police official said that a large police contingent led by the Naurang Circle deputy superintendent of police reached the site of the blast. The team cordoned off the area and collected evidence. In an earlier statement, Rescue 1122 spokesperson Shahdab Khan had confirmed the blast, stating that ambulances and teams had been dispatched to the site of the incident. He had requested the public to cooperate with rescue agencies and avoid the blast site. KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, as per a statement, took notice of the incident and sought a report from the KP inspector general of police. He expressed so