Pakistan Bomb Blast: In a new case of a terror strike, a bomb exploded inside a mosque in the city of Peshawar in Pakistan, killing more than 28 people and leaving about 150 worshippers wounded. The attack is said to have been executed by a suicide bomber who detonated the explosive amidst a congregation, most of them, police personnel.
Government officials, political party leaders, and the masses of Pakistan have condemned the attack. The provincial governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Ghulam Ali said that it was feared that the death toll could rise further.
PM, Former PM condemns Pakistan Bomb Blast
Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, while condemning the attack said, “Terrorists want to create fear by targeting those who perform the duty of defending Pakistan”. He further added, “Those fighting against Pakistan will be wiped out from the face of the earth.”
Former Prime Minister, Imran Khan took to Twitter to register his condemnation of the attack.
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
Former Federal Minister for Interior, Sheikh Rasheed while talking to media, outside Lahore Court, spoke about the Peshawar bomb attack.
سابق وفاقی وزیر داخلہ شیخ رشید احمد لاہور ہائی کورٹ راولپنڈی بینچ کے باہر میڈیا سے بات کرتے ہوئے pic.twitter.com/iOrqxzzcPR
— Sheikh Rashid Ahmed (@ShkhRasheed) January 30, 2023
The attacker purposely targeted the mosque compound as the place also serves as the city’s police headquarters. According to local police, a total of about 350 worshippers were present at the site, when the bomb went off.
The attack also raises questions about the security arrangements inside Pakistan, as the police headquarters in the northwestern city of Peshawar is one of the most tightly controlled parts of the city. The compound also houses the counter-terrorism bureau and housing intelligence wings of the Pakistani police and is a stone’s throw away from the regional secretariat.
After the bomb attack in Peshawar, the whole country is put on high alert, security arrangements have been ramped up and checkpoints are placed across major towns and cities. Snippers are placed across buildings and entrance points in the capital city of Islamabad.
Meanwhile, the terrorist outfit, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, which has been waging war against the establishment in the country for a few months has claimed responsibility for the attack. The attack has been called a revenge act by a brother of a slain TTP commander.
