Daily Times

A suicide bomber struck Monday inside a mosque packed with police in Peshawar, killing almost 60 people and wounding scores more, officials said. The bomber detonated a suicide vest as worshipers – including many police and other security forces – were praying inside.

At least 59 people were killed and 157 injured in the blast, Mohammed Asim, a spokesperson for the Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar, said. There was fear the death toll could still rise, as many of those hospitalized were brought in with critical injuries.

The bomber struck during early afternoon prayers at a mosque in Peshawar’s “Police Lines” area, a secured zone within the sprawling city where the regional Police Secretariat is located, along with apartments housing officers and other security staff.

A senior superintendent of the Peshawar Police said entire roof of the mosque had caved in, and the mosque was likely full as it was the first day of the working week. According to security officials, the suicide attacker was present in the front row during the Zuhr prayer when he exploded himself, injuring dozens of faithful. The outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has claimed responsibility for the attack. Sahibzada Noor Ul Amin, Imam of the mosque, was also martyred in the blast, police said.

An eyewitness told the media that he was going to the mosque when the explosion took place. “It was a powerful explosion. There was smoke everywhere after the blast,” said the eyewitness. He added that after gaining consciousness he saw the mosque’s roof collapsed. “There were at least 120 people in the mosque when the incident took place. It was a suicide blast because the bomber was inside the mosque’s inner courtyard. The Zuhr prayer had just started when it happened. There were mostly policemen among the injured,” said the eyewitness. President of the Civil Secretariat Association Peshawar Tassavur Iqbal, who regularly prays at the mosque, said that the Police Lines area’s security is always high and no one can enter without showing their identity and body search.

Speaking to the media, Peshawar Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Muhammad Ijaz Khan said that the roof of the mosque collapsed after the blast. He said the main hall of the mosque – which had a capacity of 250 to 300 people – had collapsed but the rest of the building was still intact.

In response to a question about the nature of the blast, the official said: “The smell of explosives has been detected but it is too early to say anything substantial.” Khan said between 300 to 400 police personnel were present in the area at the time of the blast. “It is apparent that a security lapse occurred,” the CCPO told the media. He added that the bodies and injured persons had been moved to the LRH.

Standing alongside Khan, KP Governor Haji Ghulam Ali condemned the blast and urged the people of Peshawar to donate blood for the injured, saying that it would be a “huge favour for the police”. Former KP chief minister Mahmood Khan also called on PTI workers in Peshawar and adjoining areas to reach LRH to donate blood to the victims.