Pakistan (The Stellar News) Saksham Kalia: In a tragic bomb blast in a mosque located within the high security police headquarters area in Pakistan, 87 people are feared dead and more than 100 people were injured. The blast is found to be a suicidal bomb and targeted policemen present there in mosque for worship.
Pakistan’s PM and other leaders have condemned Monday’s attack-one of the worst in the country in recent years.
“Terrorists want to create fear by targeting those who perform the duty of defending Pakistan,” said PM Shehbaz Sharif. He declared a national day of mourning.
On Tuesday, rescuers were still scrambling to retrieve worshippers buried in the rubble, with a spokesman telling the BBC the operation would continue for another three hours.
“The rescue operation has been going on for more than 18 hours,” Mohammad Bilal Faizi said.
“The bodies of 20 more people have been recovered and it’s feared that some bodies may still be under the rubble.”
A hospital spokesman confirmed that more than 100 remained wounded. Meanwhile, funerals have been carried out for more than 20 police officers, their coffins draped with the Pakistan flag.
The bodies of the dead have started to be returned to their families.
Between 300 and 400 police officers had been in the area at the time, Peshawar police chief Muhammad Ijaz Khan earlier told local media.
The mosque is in one of the most heavily controlled areas of the city, which includes police headquarters and intelligence and counter-terrorism bureaus. On Tuesday, local media lined the road outside the gates – the closest that security would allow.
Mr Sharif said those behind the attack had “nothing to do with Islam”. He added: “The entire nation is standing united against the menace of terrorism.”
The Pakistan Taliban – a group separate to Afghanistan’s Taliban government – ended a ceasefire in November, and violence has been on the rise in the country since.
