Special assistant to PM's residence targeted in bomb attack

• Zeb says explosion targeted him, his family.
• Condemns incident as "cowardly act".
• Six injured in blast targeting rally led by PPP MPA.  

MNA and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister, Mubarak Zeb, remained unhurt on Wednesday after an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated outside his residence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Bajaur district, partially damaging the house.

In a statement on his official X account, he said that the blast targeted him and his family, confirming that no one was injured in the blast.

He condemned the incident as a cowardly act and stated firmly that no one could demoralise him with these tactics.

“The main gate of my house was blown up with a bomb,” he added.

Separately, another explosion occurred at Sariab Road in Balochistan's Quetta city near a political rally led by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) MPA Ali Madad Jattak.

In a statement, the police said that six people sustained injuries in the explosion while Jattak remained unhurt. The injured people were shifted to the Civil Hospital for medical treatment.

The rally, being led by Jattak, was en route to hockey ground to celebrate the success of Operation Banyan-um-Masroor against India's unprovoked aggression in the aftermath of a terrorist attack on tourists in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

The country witnessed a sharp increase in terror attacks in January 2025, surging by 42% compared to the previous month, according to data released by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), a think tank.

The data revealed that at least 74 militant attacks were recorded nationwide, resulting in 91 fatalities, including 35 security personnel, 20 civilians, and 36 militants. Another 117 individuals sustained injuries, including 53 security forces personnel, 54 civilians, and 10 militants.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) remained the worst-affected province, followed by Balochistan. In KP’s settled districts, militants carried out 27 attacks, resulting in 19 fatalities, including 11 security personnel, six civilians, and two militants.

The tribal districts of KP (erstwhile Fata) witnessed 19 attacks, leading to 46 deaths, including 13 security personnel, eight civilians, and 25 militants.