Deadly Bombing Hits Former Pakistani Senator Near Afghan Border

A roadside bomb blast in Pakistan’s Bajaur district near the Afghan border killed a former senator and four others on Wednesday, VOA reported yesterday.

Initial police investigations concluded that suspected militants used a remote-controlled device to target the former member of parliament, Hidayatullah Khan.

No group has claimed responsibility, but the region has seen frequent attacks by the Pakistani Taliban (TTP) and an Islamic State affiliate.

The bombing occurred as Pakistani and U.S. troops were conducting a joint counterterrorism exercise in another part of the province.

Pakistan has accused the Taliban government in Afghanistan of providing sanctuaries to the TTP and facilitating cross-border attacks, though the Taliban deny allowing their territory to be used to threaten Pakistan.