Three children injured in quadcopter strike on PML-N leader’s house in North Waziristan

NORTH WAZIRISTAN: Three children were injured after the house of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Malik Liaquat Ali Khan was hit in what local sources described as a suspected quadcopter strike on Tuesday evening.

According to local sources, the incident took place at around 8pm while children were playing in the courtyard of the residence. They said a quadcopter came from an unknown direction and dropped explosives on the house, causing a blast that damaged the building.

The three injured children were in the courtyard when the explosion occurred. Those hurt included Khan’s son and his two nephews. They were shifted to a nearby hospital, where one child was said to be in critical condition.

Witnesses said the blast caused panic in the area, with residents rushing out of their homes after hearing the explosion. “We heard a loud blast and saw smoke rising from the house. Children were screaming, and everyone was terrified,” a resident said.

Khan, who is a district leader of the PML-N and a former candidate for PK-103, was not in the courtyard when the attack happened. Family members said women and other relatives in the house remained safe.

Security sources had not officially confirmed the nature or origin of the drone by the time the report was filed. After the incident, members of the local administration and security forces arrived at the site and sealed off the area.

An investigation was launched to determine the motive behind the attack. No group had claimed responsibility for the incident.

Investigation under way

Officials moved in after the blast to examine the site and begin inquiries into the circumstances of the attack. The available information indicated that the explosives were dropped from a quadcopter, but official confirmation regarding the device and where it came from had not yet been issued by security sources.

The attack left visible damage to the residence and injured children from the same family, according to local accounts. The incident also triggered fear among nearby residents, who described scenes of smoke, screaming children and confusion immediately after the explosion.

The motive behind the attack remained unclear, and authorities had begun an investigation. No organisation had come forward to claim responsibility.