The reports say terrorists tried to enter into the mosque and faced resistance at the gate but one of the terrorists entered there and detonated himself.
PESHAWAR: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-March 4th, 2022) At least 57 people embraced martyrdom and 194 others injured after a suicide attack in a mosque in Qissa Khawani bazaar area of Peshawar on Friday.
The police and rescue teams reached the spot and started their operation. According to the rescue officials, 16 people were injured in the blast who were being shifted to nearby hospitals. Police cordoned off the area and started collecting evidences.
Prime Minister Imran Khan, President Arif Alvi, Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid and other political leaders including PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari strongly condemned the terrorists’ attack on the mosque.
Prime Minister Imran Khan ordered efforts to provide immediate medical aid to the injured and sought a report on the blast from the authorities concerned.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Achakzai also condemned the terrorists’ attack on the mosque. He sought a report from the Peshawar inspector-general of police. The CM instructed the rescue workers to speed up the rescue operation and ordered provincial cabinet members to monitor the operations.
Special Assistant to CM Barrister Saif confirmed that it was a suicide attack, pointing out that the terrorists tried to enter the mosque and then engaged in an exchange of fire with the police upon failure.
He said that one of the terrorists managed to enter the mosque and detonated the suicide jacket.
Shekh Rasheed said they sought report from the Chief Secretary and the Inspector General of Police. He said he condoled the death of the innocent people inside the mosque and expressed sympathies for the aggrieved families.
Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Peshawar Ijaz Ahsan said that one police official was martyred.
He said that two attackers tried to enter a mosque in the city's Qissa Khwani Bazaar and fired at the policemen standing guard. As a result, one policeman was martyred while the other was critically injured, the CCPO said. Following the attack, a blast took place in the mosque.
Police official Waheed Khan said that the explosion occurred as worshippers had collected in the Kocha Risaldar mosque for Friday prayers.
No one immediately claimed responsibility for the blast.
Shayan Haider, an eye-witness, said that he was preparing to enter the mosque when a powerful explosion threw him to the street.
He said when he opened his eyes he saw dust and bodies everywhere.
Asim Khan, media manager of Lady Reading, said 30 bodies were brought to the hospital so far. The reports suggested that there was chaos as doctors struggled to move the many wounded into operating theatres. The hospital waas put on red alert and more medical personnel have been called to LRH.
He said the area had a number of markets and was usually around the time of Friday prayers.
