57 dead, 200 injured in Peshawar's imambargah attack

PESHAWAR: At least 57 people were killed and nearly 200 others injured in a suicide attack at an imambargah in Peshawar's Kocha Risaldar area during Friday prayers.

“It was a suicide attack,” Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General of Police Moazzam Jah Ansari confirmed while talking to media persons outside the mosque.

The Islamic State in a statement claimed responsibility for the deadly bomb blast. It said the attack had killed at least 50 and injured more than 200 people. However, the police and hospital officials said earlier on Friday 57 people were killed in the attack.

IG Ansari said, “Five kilogrammes of explosives with 150 ball bearings were used in the [suicide] attack.”

Giving details, he said, “A suicide bomber opened fire on [two] police personnel – his first target – deputed at [the gate of] the mosque and then ran into the mosque blowing himself up in the third row of worshippers,” Ansari informed.

An eyewitness, Zahid Khan, said, "I saw a man firing at two policemen before he entered the mosque. Seconds later I heard a big bang."

The attack comes on the first day of a cricket Test match in Rawalpindi -- around 190 kilometres (120 miles) to the east -- between Pakistan and Australia, who haven't toured the country in nearly a quarter of a century because of security concerns.

The CCTV footage showed an attacker, donning black clothes, walking towards the police personnel and opening fire at them before entering the mosque.

“Another attacker took the weapon of the fallen policeman and ran,” Capital City Police Officer Ijaz Khan informed.

All major health facilities across the provincial capital were put on high alert as soon as the explosion took place. Rescue officials shifted the injured and the dead to Lady Reading Hospital (LRH)—the nearest possible facility. Six of the injured were shifted to Khyber Teaching Hospital (KTH).

Muhammad Asim, a spokesperson for the LRH said, “We have received more than 30 bodies.”

He said some of the injured were in critical condition, adding that a large number of doctors and paramedic staff was busy treating the patients.

“Provision of medicine and availability of medical staff and blood supply has been ensured at the emergency department,” Asim maintained.

An initial Bomb Disposal Squad report confirmed that the explosives used in the attack weighed around five to six kilogrammes and were homemade. Ball bearings and other shrapnel-producing material were used in the attack to maximise casualties.

A heavy contingent of armed forces, including Pakistan Army personnel, cordoned off the area and the street leading to the mosque. All shops in the Qissa Khwani Bazaar were



also shut down immediately to facilitate the rescuers as the Kocha Risaldar street is so narrow that only one ambulance can move through it at a time.

Apart from the rescue officials, locals also brought victims out of the mosque on stretchers. They were later shifted to the hospital in ambulances.

“There were two police personnel there. One of them embraced martyrdom while the other was wounded,” SSP Operation Haroon Rasheed told media persons. However, the wounded police official succumbed to his injuries during treatment at night.

“No, there was no prior threat alert issued but all the places of worship are provided security —especially for Friday prayers,” Rasheed informed.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan was briefed by Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed on the Peshawar blast as well as the security provided to the Australian cricket team touring Pakistan.

A statement shared by the ruling PTI on Twitter said that the interior minister and the PM reviewed the overall law and order and security situation of the country.

Separately, Prime Minister Imran strongly condemned the suicide attack at the imambargah located near the Qissa Khwani Bazaar area of Peshawar.

The premier also directed the health officials to provide medical treatment to the injured and sought an inquiry report from the authorities concerned.

Rashid admitted that the ministry had no prior information about the attack.

“No threat alert was received … we had a meeting a couple of days ago but no threat [alert] was received. We had no information about it,” the interior minister said.

The interior minister, while strongly condemning the terrorist incident, directed the chief secretary and K-P IG to submit a report. He also expressed grief over the loss of lives in the attack, sympathising with the families of the martyred worshipers.

A high-level security meeting, chaired by K-P Chief Minister Mahmood Khan, was held to discuss in detail the security situation across the province. The meeting was attended by K-P IG, additional chief secretary, interior secretary, CCPO and Peshawar commissioner.

Further, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry, while condemning the Peshawar bomb blast, said that an investigation into the incident was under way and the public would be informed about the incident later on. He expressed grief over the loss of lives in the incident and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.

“Peshawar blast is part of a larger conspiracy," the information minister said in a tweet. “The country has fought such conspiracies in the past and, God willing, the enemies of Pakistan will fail again.”