A deadly incident struck Pakistan’s restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Saturday when a bomb detonated during a local cricket match in Bajaur district, leaving at least one person dead. The blast occurred at Kausar Cricket Ground in Khar tehsil, where residents had gathered to watch the sporting event.

District Police Officer Waqas Rafique confirmed to Pakistani daily Dawn that the explosion was caused by an improvised explosive device (IED) and described the attack as appearing to be targeted. The incident has heightened fears of escalating violence in the tribal border districts, which have repeatedly witnessed militant attacks despite ongoing security operations.

The attack comes amid intensifying debate over the province’s deteriorating security environment. According to reports in The Express Tribune, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government recently called for an in-camera session of the provincial assembly, urging that senior military and police officials be summoned to brief legislators directly on the worsening situation.

The move reflects rising frustration within political circles over the lack of transparency in decision-making on counter-terrorism and security operations, which are often discussed exclusively at the high-level Apex Committee meetings attended by top civil and military leaders but not provincial lawmakers.

During a recent assembly session, K-P Minister Arshad Ayub openly criticised this exclusion, stressing that representatives, who are answerable to the people, must be kept in the loop regarding the evolving threat environment. "Our representatives are answerable to the people.

They deserve to be informed," he stated, emphasising the accountability gap between military-led security decision-making and civilian oversight. Ayub further accused the federal government of negligence, noting that the province—already reeling from militant violence—bore the brunt of recent floods in terms of human and financial loss. Yet, instead of relief, K-P faced cuts in wheat flour supply from the centre, which he sarcastically described as a "gift."

Ayub’s remarks also drew attention to a worrying trend: the growing sophistication and lethality of militant groups operating in the region. He questioned how terrorist outfits were obtaining advanced weaponry that surpasses the capacity of local security forces, asking for direct accountability from both the police and military leadership.

His warning adds to mounting concerns that despite counterterrorism efforts, militant organisations are regaining ground in Pakistan’s north-west, aided by porous borders, a fragile economy, and shifting political priorities in Islamabad.

The call for an in-camera provincial assembly briefing is being framed as more than a request; senior lawmakers argue it is a necessity given the intense pressure from constituents who face the daily threat of insurgency violence.

Ayub underscored that without direct accountability, public trust in governance will erode further, deepening the sense of abandonment already felt in the region.

The Bajaur blast, in this context, is not seen as an isolated act of violence but as a symptom of the broader instability plaguing Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which continues to serve as a flashpoint between state forces and militant actors.

The incident reinforces the urgency of bridging civil-military divides in Pakistan’s security policymaking, while also highlighting the fragile humanitarian and economic situation that leaves the province vulnerable not only to terrorism but also to neglect from the central government.

Based On ANI Report