Peshawar blast: Nearly 50 dead, over 100 injured in blast at mosque in Pakistan
An explosion at a mosque in Pakistan’s northern city of Peshawar killed at least 46 people, including an imam, and injured over 100 others on Monday.
Local media reported the explosion was caused by a suspected suicide attack. The deadly blast took place during afternoon prayers at around 1:40 pm near Peshawar’s Police Lines area. Several people have been admitted to the hospital in a critical condition and the death toll from the attack is expected to rise.
A video shot from inside the mosque showed debris on the ground. One side of the mosque collapsed due to the impact of the blast.
Here’s what we know about the blast:
Geo News reports stated a ‘suicide attacker’ blew himself up inside the mosque during prayers. The suicide attacker was present in the front row during the prayers when he exploded himself, news agency PTI quoted security officials as saying.
Those injured were shifted to the Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar. News agency PTI quoted Lady Reading Hospital officials saying that 46 people have died so far. However, the Peshawar Police has released a list of 38 victims.
As the death toll and the number of injured rises, the Peshawar Governor has appealed to the residents to donate blood, as per Dunya News.
An emergency has been imposed in the locality and the area has been cordoned off. “An emergency has been imposed at hospitals across the city and injured persons are being provided the best medical facilities,” Peshawar Commissioner Riaz Mehsood was quoted as saying by Dawn.
Meanwhile, following the blast in Peshwar, Islamabad Police issued directions for a “security high-alert”.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the blast. Shehbaz Sharif said that the attackers responsible for the blast inside the mosque “have nothing to do with Islam”.
“Terrorists want to create fear by targeting those who perform the duty of defending Pakistan,” the Pakistan PM added.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman Imran Khan called for improving intelligence gathering to “combat the growing threat of terrorism”.