Two people died while 10 others were injured when unidentified gunmen hurled hand grenades and fired shots at people watching a football match in Alizai School in Kurram Agency on Wednesday.
Two suicide bombers were stopped by Levies from entering packed school ground in Alizai area of Lower Kurram on Wednesday where a football match was underway.
Officials confirmed that two attackers, wearing explosives, tried to storm the school playground. But Levies officials guarding the ground opened fire at them.
They exchanged fire for sometime before the attackers were killed and their explosives detonated. Two officials were also injured in the blast.
The officials and eyewitnesses said the suicide bombers attacked people in a playground inside Government High School Alizai, lower Kurram Agency shortly before Maghrib prayers.
“It is a terrorist attack and the target was a football match,” a political administration official said.
“Terrorists opened fire at the players and spectators in the football ground,” the official added.
A Levies official shot the attacker as he started firing at players and spectators in the playground.
Eyewitnesses added that two explosions followed the firing.
Officials said that Siraj Hussain, a dispenser in AlizaiHospital, had been identified as a victim.
The injured were shifted to Civil Hospital Alizai. Doctors at the hospital said the injured were in critical condition.
Alizai is considered the second biggest town in Lower Kurram Agency and is a Shia-dominant area which has seen sectarian unrest.
The officials said that all injured, including the deceased, belonged to the Shia community.
So far no one has claimed responsibility for the attack though officials suspect the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan could be behind it.
Following the incident, Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif commended those attending the football match and those posted for security for their vigilance and prompt action.
According to a statement from Director General Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Asim Bajwa, the two suicide bombers were intercepted by the Levies. While one detonated his vest after being stopped, the other fled who was chased and killed.
“The whole nation is resolute to not only deny any space to these misguided terrorists, but also eliminate them fully,” the COAS was quoted as saying.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, leaders of different political parties including Awami National Party (ANP), Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Jamat-e-Islami (JI) and others have condemned the suicide attack.
PM Sharif said that the terrorists through such attack could not weaken the government’s resolve to rid the menace of terrorism from the country.
