Team News Riveting
Peshawar, January 30
At least 28 people were killed and 150 were injured in a devastating blast inside a mosque in Peshawar’s Police Lines area on Monday.
Peshawar Commissioner Riaz Mehsood confirmed the casualties, adding that a rescue operation was underway inside the mosque, Dawn newspaper reported. “An emergency has been imposed at hospitals across the city and injured persons are being provided the best medical facilities,” the senior official said.
The explosion took place at around 1:40pm as Zuhr prayers were being offered. He said personnel of the police, army and bomb disposal squads were present inside the mosque. A portion of the building had collapsed and several people — especially those standing in the front row during the prayers — were trapped.
The officers said it was still unclear whether a bomb was planted in the mosque or if it was a suicide attack. So far, no one has claimed responsibility for the attack.
The last major incident of similar pattern had taken place in Peshawar last year, when a suicide bomber blew himself inside a Shia mosque in Kocha Risaldar area. In the incident, 63 lives were lost.
In a statement issued later in the day, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the blast and said that the attackers behind the incident “have nothing to do with Islam”. “Terrorists want to create fear by targeting those who perform the duty of defending Pakistan,” he said.
Islamabad Inspector General Dr Akbar Nasir Khan issued directions for a “security high-alert” to be placed in the capital, a tweet by Islamabad Police said.It said that security at all entry and exit points of the city has been increased and monitoring was being done through the “Safe City” system.
The police added that snipers had been placed at “important points and buildings” and the police were provided with thermal imaging facilities.
