The death toll from the powerful suicide bombing at a political convention of a hardline Islamist party in Pakistan’s restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province sharply rose to 54 on Monday, police said as they intensified efforts to hunt down those behind the massive attack.
Police also said that an initial probe has suggested that the banned terrorist group ISIS is behind the suicide attack that injured over 100 people in Khar, the capital of Bajaur tribal district.
The local branch of ISIS has previously targeted JUI-F party leaders as they consider them apostates.
The attack took place on Sunday when more than 400 members of the conservative Jamiat Ulema Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) party, known for its links to hardline political Islam, had gathered for a meeting under a large tent in the town of Khar, which borders Afghanistan.
The JUI-F is a party that is part of the coalition government led by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).