One person was killed and at least 23 injured after a suicide bomber blew himself up in the Excise & Taxation Department building located in the Cantt area of Mardan. Taliban affiliate Jamaat-ul-Ahrar (JA) has claimed responsibility for the attack.

The suicide bomber stormed into premises of the office and started firing at the people and staff creating panic therein. In the meantime, the suicide bomber blew up himself near the computer section.

The police and rescue teams reached the area and rushed the injured persons to a local hospital. The police have cordoned-off the area, while the security personnel deployments in the area have been increased after the attack.

The doctors said that three person among the injured were in critical condition.

While talking to media the DPO of Mardan said almost 8-10 kilograms of explosives was used in the attack.

“Three individuals are seriously injured while others are being treated at DHQ Mardan,” the 1122 spokesperson told the media.

Emergency has been implemented at all Mardan hospitals.

“The suicide attacker tried to enter the building and blew himself up when he was stopped by the security guards,” the DPO said. “Because of the vigilance of the security personnel, the scale of destruction has remained low. But more injuries and some causalities are feared.”

Later, Pakistani Taliban group Jamaat-ul-Ahrar claimed responsibility for the suicide attack. “Our bomber has carried out the attack” Ehsanullah Ehsan, spokesman for the group claimed the attack in a phone call to the local media.

The spokesman also claimed killing of a security official in the Bajaur tribal region on Tuesday.

The Jamaat-ul-Ahrar group is considered the most brutal Taliban group which massacred more than 70 people and injured nearly 300, including children and women, when a suicide bomber hit people at Lahore's Gulshan-e-Iqbal park.

In December last year, this group killed at least 26 people and injured 50 others in a suicide attack against the National Database and Registration Authority office in Mardan.

Security forces had launched a search operation following the NADRA attack in which almost 327 suspected were arrested.

Pakistani officials say the group’s leaders had fled a military offensive in North Waziristan tribal region in 2014 and now operate from the Afghan side of the border.