Tribal elder and peace committee member killed in roadside bomb attack in northwest Pakistan

A prominent tribal elder and peace committee member was killed after a roadside bomb attack struck his vehicle in Hangu district in northwest Pakistan, police said.

Haji Izzat Gul was returning home when a remotely detonated device planted along the roadside exploded in the Karrapa area.

What happened in the Hangu bomb attack?

District Police Officer Tariq Habib said a remotely detonated device struck Gul's vehicle in the Karrapa area as he traveled home. The blast also injured one of his companions and a passer-by, both taken to Kohat Development Authority Teaching Hospital. Gul survived the initial explosion but later died of a heart attack, doctors told police.

An investigation has been launched to identify those responsible for the attack, Habib said. Preliminary findings suggest Gul was the intended target, he added.

Who is being blamed for the bombing?

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. Several armed groups, including Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, remain active in the region and have repeatedly targeted peace committee members. These groups have also targeted others they consider adversaries in the area.

How did officials respond to Gul's killing?

Gul's funeral prayer was held with state honors at Orakzai Headquarters. Senior officials attended, including the commandant of Tull Scouts, the Kohat commissioner, the deputy commissioner of Hangu, and the district police officers of Hangu and Orakzai.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi condemned the killing, calling it an assault on peace, stability and tribal traditions. He praised Gul's efforts to promote peace and resist militancy, saying his contributions would be remembered.

The provincial government announced a compensation package for Gul's family and said it would recommend him for a civil award. Provincial Information Minister Shafi Jan said more than 500 tribal leaders in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had sacrificed their lives in the pursuit of peace.

Who was Haji Izzat Gul?

Gul was a tribal elder from neighboring Orakzai district, widely known for his work promoting peace and social harmony in Pakistan's former tribal regions along the Afghan border. In 2025, he led a jirga representing Orakzai's 18 tribes that opposed a planned military operation, urging authorities to pursue dialogue instead.

During 2024 and 2025, Gul also served as a mediator in a multi-district Grand Jirga formed to resolve sectarian and territorial disputes in Kurram district.

He helped secure a peace agreement between rival tribes and advocated the surrender of illegal weapons and the dismantling of private bunkers.