The death toll of Monday’s suicide attack in a Peshawar mosque has risen to 90, with over 200 injured. Around 100 people remain in the Lady Reading hospital, while others have been discharged.
Several police officials were among those deceased in the attack.
Overview
During the afternoon prayers on Monday, a suicide blast occurred at about 1 p.m. at the Malik Saad Shaheed Police Lines’ Mosque, causing the roof of the building to come crashing down.
Authorities have continued rescue operations and removal of debris to retrieve bodies from under the mosque. Till now, one injured person and 17 bodies have been recovered from under the remains of the blast.
Explosion reported inside a mosque at Peshawar in Pakistan near Police lines. Over 17 killed and 90 injured. pic.twitter.com/I3O8OdLRoA
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) January 30, 2023
Concerningly, the mosque is located in one of Peshawar’s most heavily guarded areas. The fortified area that houses the mosque also had the police headquarters and intelligence and counter-terrorism offices. At the time of the attack, around 300 to 400 police officers were present in the Police Lines area.
Peshawar Police Chief Mohammad Ijaz Khan said, “It is possible that the attacker was already present in the Police Lines before the blast and that he may have used an official vehicle [to enter].”
Although banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) commander Sarbakaf Mohmand claimed responsibility for the attack, hours later, TTP spokesperson Mohammad Khurasani said that the group “has nothing to do with this attack,” as the group does not target mosques and religious places.
Top leadership of the province seen at the funeral of police personnel in the province. Nobody has claimed responsibility for the deadly bombing so far that resulted in 48 fatalities and 157 injuries, apart from some loss details by TTP Mohmand unofficially. pic.twitter.com/68afsZLTzu
— Iftikhar Firdous (@IftikharFirdous) January 30, 2023
Reactions
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s acting Chief Minister Muhammad Azam Khan declared a day of mourning. He further reassured that the provincial government would look after the victims’ families in the event’s aftermath.
After the attack, PM Shehbaz Sharif paid a visit to Peshawar and condemned the “human tragedy.” He stressed that the attack was “an attack on Pakistan,” further highlighting that terrorism remains the government’s “foremost national security challenge.”
During his Peshawar visit, Sharif was accompanied by the Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir along with Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah.
While the pain of the grieving families cannot be described in words, I express my heartfelt condolences & most sincere sympathies. My message to the perpetrators of today's despicable incident is that you can't underestimate the resolve of our people. https://t.co/edUJ6SbP3M
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) January 30, 2023
Following Sharif’s visit, Minister of Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb declared on Monday that the PM convened an emergency discussion to discuss the law-and-order situation. Aurangzeb said that Sharif would “personally take stock” of the attack and overlook the investigation.
Surge in TTP-led Attacks
Pakistan has been struggling to maintain law and order for several months now, particularly after the TTP ended its ceasefire with the government in November 2022. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and other regions bordering Afghanistan have been specifically targeted.
Canadians strongly condemn the heinous terrorist attack on worshipers in Peshawar, Pakistan. My thoughts are with the victims and those who are grieving during this terribly difficult time.
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) January 31, 2023
On 22 January, a police vehicle was attacked in Peshawar’s Badaber area, just a day after a security official was killed and two others injured by an unidentified attacker.
A similar attack in Peshawar last March resulted in 64 deaths. At the time, ISIS’ Khorasan Province branch claimed responsibility for the attack.