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At least 28 people were killed and over 150 injured after a high-intensity explosion took place at a mosque in Peshawar’s Police Lines area on Monday afternoon during the Zuhr prayers. Peshawar Commissioner Riaz Mehsood confirmed the casualties, according to Dawn.com. So far, no one has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Due to the blast intensity, a portion of the mosque collapsed and several people are believed to be trapped under it. Rescuers have been trying to remove mounds of debris to reach those trapped under the rubble.
Capital City Police Officer Peshawar Muhammad Ijaz Khan said that the roof of the mosque collapsed after the blast.
“A number of jawans are still stuck under the rubble and rescuers are trying to pull them out,” Ijaz Khan said, as reported by Dawn.com
“The smell of explosives has been detected but it is too early to say anything substantial,” the police officer added.
The injured from the Peshawar police line mosque blast have been moved to a nearby medical facility of Lady Reading Hospital. The hospital spokesperson, Mohammad Asim, told Dawn that the injured were still being brought in and some of them were in critical condition.
Emergency has been imposed by the caretaker government of KP in Peshawar’s hospitals.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has strongly condemned the blast and said, “Terrorists want to create fear by targeting those who perform the duty of defending Pakistan.”
“The entire nation is standing united against the menace of terrorism,” Sharif said in a statement.
PTI Chairman Imran Khan also condemned the attack in the Peshawar mosque and criticized intelligence lapse.
Strongly condemn the terrorist suicide attack in police lines mosque Peshawar during prayers. My prayers & condolences go to victims families. It is imperative we improve our intelligence gathering & properly equip our police forces to combat the growing threat of terrorism.
, Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) January 30, 2023
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