At least 56 people were killed and nearly 200 injured in a powerful suicide bombing at a Shia mosque during Friday prayers in the northwestern city of Peshawar, Pakistan.
It is one of the deadliest attacks in the restive province bordering Afghanistan. The blast took place at Imambargah near Kisa Khwani Bazaar when people were offering Friday prayers. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the blast in Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which borders Afghanistan.
Peshawar, Mar 4 (PTI) At least 56 people were killed and nearly 200 injured in a powerful suicide bombing at a Shia mosque during Friday prayers in the northwestern city of Peshawar, Pakistan. It is one of the deadliest attacks in the restive province bordering Afghanistan.
The blast took place at Imambargah near Kisa Khwani market when people were offering Friday prayers.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the blast in Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which borders Afghanistan. But Islamic State and radical terrorist groups have claimed responsibility for deadly attacks on the Shia community in the past.
Lady Reading Hospital (LHR) spokesperson Asim Khan confirmed that at least 56 people were killed and 194 were injured in the blast.
An eyewitness said the suicide bomber was dressed in black and as he entered the mosque, he first shot dead the security personnel and then fired five-six shots each.
The eyewitness told Geo News, “After this, he came to the main hall of the (mosque) and blew himself up in front of the mimbar (the place where the Imam sits and gives a statement). After this there were dead bodies and injured people lying there.”
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government spokesman Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif said the blast was a suicide attack and that two terrorists were involved in the attack.
Talking to media persons, Peshawar Senior Superintendent of Police (Operations) Haroon Rashid Khan said that the suicide bomber blew himself up. He said there were two attackers, of whom only one was a suicide.
Inspector General of Police (IG) MJ Ansari said that after entering the mosque, the terrorist first opened fire on the worshipers and then blew himself up.
He said that five-six kilograms of explosives were used in the blast which took place in the third row of the mosque.
Emergency has been declared in the hospital and the doctors who have gone on leave have been called for duty.
Officials said the condition of some of the injured was stated to be critical.
Ejaz Ahsan, a police officer in the capital city of Peshawar, said two attackers tried to enter the mosque and opened fire on police personnel stationed there.
He said that one police personnel has died in this while the other has been seriously injured. Ahsan said that the explosion took place after the firing.
Condemning the blast, President Arif Alvi expressed grief over the loss of life.
Prime Minister Imran Khan strongly condemned the Peshawar blast and directed officials to ensure medical treatment of the injured and sought a report from the authorities concerned.
Home Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed has sought a report on the incident from the province’s chief secretary and the Inspector General of Police (IG). “There was no news of any threat… We had a meeting a few days back but there was no information about the threat,” he said.
Condemning the blast, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan vowed to bring the perpetrators of this heinous act to justice.
He said that targeting people in places of worship is an inhuman and cruel act. He directed the officials to ensure best treatment to the injured.
He has held an emergency meeting at his official residence to review the security situation in the province bordering Afghanistan.
PML-N chief and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif tweeted, “A tragic terrorist incident has occurred in Peshawar in which many precious lives have been lost. Words are insufficient to condemn this brutality.”
“Terrorism remains our biggest national challenge. Condolences to the bereaved families.”
Former President Asif Ali Zardari said that this attack would not have happened if the ground for terrorism had been eliminated. His son and Pakistan Peoples Party chief Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also condemned the attack in a separate statement.
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