Blast at historic police HQ in Pakistan kills 8

An explosion at a historic police headquarters in Kohat, Pakistan, on Friday claimed the lives of at least eight people and left 35 others injured, according to officials. The blast, which occurred at the Old Police Lines in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, prompted a search-and-rescue operation by Rescue 1122 teams. Provincial police chief Zulfiqar Hameed informed AFP that eight individuals had been killed and 35 wounded, though he did not provide further details on the casualties.

The investigation into the cause of the blast is ongoing, and more than 45 rescue personnel have been deployed to the site. The area has been the target of a violent campaign by the Islamist militant group Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which has been blamed for the attack. Pakistan's president, Asif Ali Zardari, expressed regret over the casualties and called for the complete elimination of terrorists operating with foreign backing to ensure national security.