A week after the Pakistani Taliban vowed to avenge the death of their former leader, Beitullah Mehsud, they have delivered on their promise, staging a wave of attacks across the country, and seemingly acting at will.

The latest strike saw the army being targeted once again but, as in many cases, civilians made up the majority of the more than 40 killed.

It came when a suicide bomber blew himself up in Shangla District, next to the Swat Valley.

Kamal Hyder reports.