A bomb exploded during a cricket match at Kausar Cricket Ground in Khar Tehsil, Bajaur District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, on Saturday, leaving one person dead and several others injured.
According to local police officer Waqas Rafiq, the blast was caused by an IED (Improvised Explosive Device) and appeared to be a targeted attack. Among the injured were children, who were immediately taken to Khar District Headquarters Hospital for treatment.
A video circulating on social media shows the cricket ground shrouded in smoke, with spectators running in panic to escape the blast.
⚡️ 1 KILLED as blast tears through cricket match in Pakistan
Sudden IED explosion in Bajaur, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Panic, screams, chaos — police call it ‘a TARGETED attack’ pic.twitter.com/rTBDePGD1j
— RT (@RT_com) September 6, 2025
Police reported that the attackers also attempted to strike a nearby police station using a quadcopter, but the attempt narrowly failed. No group has claimed responsibility yet, though authorities suspect Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) could be behind the attack.
Since July, the Pakistani army has been conducting anti-terror operations in Bajaur District, under Operation Sarbakaf, aimed at dismantling militant hideouts and restoring security in this border region. Officials believe the attack may be a retaliatory measure in response to these operations.
Last week, a similar quadcopter-based attack occurred at a police station in the Laghari area of Bajaur District, injuring a police officer and a civilian named Nazib Khan. A parked car near the station was also damaged during the incident.
