Officials told the media that ‘it is clear that there has been a lapse in security’. At the same time, at least five sub-inspectors and the Imam of the mosque, Maulana Sahibzada Noorul Amin, are among the dead.
A Taliban suicide bomber blew himself up during afternoon prayers on Monday at a mosque in Peshawar in Pakistan’s restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. At least 63 people have died in this incident so far, while more than 150 others have been injured. According to media reports, a suicide bomber sitting in the front row blew himself up near the Police Lines area at around 1.40 pm on Monday when the worshipers were offering Zohar (afternoon) prayers.
According to media reports, the death toll in this bomb blast has increased to 63. He said that 300 to 400 police officers were present at the mosque in the area at the time of the blast. Officials told the media that ‘it is clear that there has been a lapse in security’. At least five sub-inspectors and the imam of the mosque, Maulana Sahibzada Noorul Amin, were among the dead.
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#UPDATE , Death toll in Peshawar mosque suicide blast rises to 63, 150 injured, reports Pakistan’s Geo News
— ANI (@ANI) January 30, 2023
Major updates related to the incident
- The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has claimed responsibility for the attack. He said the suicide attack was a revenge for the death of TTP commander Umar Khalid Khursani, who was killed in Afghanistan in August last year.
- A police official said that a part of the mosque collapsed due to the explosion and many people are believed to be buried under its debris. In-charge of the rescue operation, Bilal Faizi said that at present our focus is on the rescue operation. Our first priority is to bring out the people trapped under the debris safely.
- According to the police, the bomber entered the four-tier security mosque inside the police lines. Provincial police chief Muazzam Jah Ansari said police were investigating the blast and trying to find out how the bomber entered the high-security mosque.
- He expressed apprehension that the bomber might have been living in the police lines before the blast as there are family quarters inside the police lines. The headquarters of Peshawar Police, Anti-Terrorism Department, Frontier Reserve Police, Elite Force and Communications Department are also near the blast site.
- Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief General Asim Munir reached Peshawar to review the relief and rescue operations. The Prime Minister also visited the Lady Reading Hospital here along with the Army Chief and inquired about the health of the injured. During this, Home Minister Rana Sanaullah and other officials were also present. The Prime Minister called an emergency meeting where the preliminary inquiry report was presented.
- Inspector General of Police Ansari said that he did not know where the bomber came from and how he got inside the police lines. Peshawar’s Superintendent of Police (Investigation) Shahzad Kaukab told the media that the blast took place when he had just entered the mosque to offer prayers, but luckily he survived. His office is near the mosque.
- Mass cremation of 27 dead was done in Police Lines in the evening. Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the attack saying that the attackers behind the incident have nothing to do with Islam. He said that terrorists want to create fear by targeting those who perform the duty of protecting Pakistan.
- PM Sharif said that the martyrdom of those killed in the blast will not go in vain. He said that the entire nation is united in the fight against this menace of terrorism. Sharif said a holistic strategy would be adopted to combat the deteriorating law and order situation in restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the federal government would help the provinces to enhance their anti-terrorist capability.
- Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also condemned the attack saying that terrorist incidents have a clear meaning ahead of local and general elections. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s governor Haji Ghulam Ali condemned the blast and appealed to the people to donate blood for the injured. He said that this would be a great favor towards the police.
- Officials said that the dead bodies and the injured were taken to Peshawar’s Lady Reading Hospital. Emergency has been declared in the hospitals of Peshawar. The hospital administration has appealed to the people to donate blood.
- After the blast in Peshawar, security has been tightened in major cities including Islamabad. Security has been beefed up on all roads leading to and from Islamabad and snipers have been deployed at important places and buildings. Caretaker Chief Minister Azam Khan has condemned the attack and expressed condolences to the affected.
- At the same time, former Prime Minister Imran Khan has strongly condemned this attack. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Khan tweeted that my deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and those who were injured. In such a situation, it has become necessary that we bring improvement in intelligence gathering. Last year, 63 people lost their lives in a similar attack on a Shia mosque in Kocha Risaldar area of the city.
- The TTP has gone back on the ceasefire with the Government of Pakistan and has ordered its terrorists to carry out terrorist attacks across the country. He is accused of being involved in several deadly attacks, including the 2009 attack on army headquarters, military bases, and the 2008 Marriott Hotel bombing. It is said that he is close to Al Qaeda.
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