LAKKI MARWAT — A powerful explosion ripped through a crowded market in the Lakki Marwat district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Tuesday, May 12, 2026. The attack, which targeted a patrolling police vehicle, has claimed the lives of at least seven people, including two police officers, and left dozens more injured.

The blast occurred in the bustling town of Sarai Naurang during peak morning hours. Initial reports indicate the explosives were rigged to a rickshaw and detonated as a police squad passed by on routine patrol.

Because the explosion occurred in a densely populated bazaar, a large number of civilian bystanders were caught within the blast radius. The immense force of the detonation damaged nearby shops and vehicles, sending thick plumes of smoke into the air and triggering an immediate mass casualty response.

Rescue teams and law enforcement arrived quickly to secure the scene and transport victims to nearby medical facilities. Local administration officials confirmed that nine bodies were brought to the hospital following the incident, including two traffic police officers and at least one woman. More than two dozen people were wounded in the attack, with at least 22 individuals currently receiving treatment for various injuries, some of whom remain in critical condition.

Security forces have cordoned off the market area to allow a bomb disposal squad to determine the exact nature and intensity of the explosive device.

"The area has been completely sealed as we conduct our preliminary investigation," a police source stated on condition of anonymity. "Our priority is ensuring the safety of the public and determining the perpetrators behind this heinous act".

While no group has yet claimed responsibility for the bombing, suspicion has fallen on the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The region has seen a significant surge in militant violence throughout 2026, often fueled by cross-border tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan. This latest incident follows a series of deadly attacks on security posts in nearby districts, highlighting a deepening security crisis in the country's northwest.