The Islamic State group on Monday claimed responsibility for a bombing attack in Pakistan that has claimed the lives of at least 54 people so far. A statement issued on the jihadists' news arm Amaq stated that the suicide attacker who detonated an explosive jacket causing the blast belonged to the Islamic State. This comes after police in Pakistan's restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province said that an initial probe has suggested that the banned terrorist group is behind the attack.


"A suicide attacker from the Islamic State... detonated his explosive jacket in the middle of a crowd" in the northwestern Pakistani town, the statement read, as quoted by news agency AFP.


 The death toll from the suicide blast in the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) workers' convention in Bajaur has risen to 54, Geo News reported. JUI-F party is a key government coalition partner.


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Geo News report mentioned Counter-Terrorism Department's (CTD) Additional Inspector General Shokat Abbas as informing that currently, 83 injured people are undergoing treatment at different hospitals.


He said that materials such as ball bearings and other things used in making the explosives were found at the site of the explosion. According to the official, an initial probe has led the CTD close to the attack's perpetrators.


"We are still investigating and gathering information on the Bajaur blast. The Initial probe shows that banned outfit Daesh (ISIS) was involved," Geo News had earlier quoted police officials as saying.


Notably, the KP CTD has lodged an FIR against unknown suspects on charges of terrorism, murder, attempted murder, and others, on behalf of Khar Station House Officer Niaz Mohammad, Geo News reported.


Police and witnesses said that the blast occurred as soon as JUI-F District Amir Maulana Abdul Rasheed reached the stage.


The deceased in the attack include JUI-F Tehsil Khar Maulana Ziaullah Jan, Navagai Tehsil General Secretary Maulana Hameedullah, District Information Secretary Mujahid Khan and dozens of party workers.


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