44 killed, 175 injured in police line’s mosque blast; PM inquires after health of wounded at LRH
PESHAWAR: An apparently powerful suicide blast here at the mosque of Malik Saad Shaheed Police Lines on Monday night martyred 44 worshipers mostly policemen, and injured around 175 others during the Zuhr (afternoon) prayer.
According to Police Spokesman, the death toll has raised to 44 after 12 more critically injured expired at Lady Reading hospital, Peshawar and other hospitals of the City where emergency was imposed.
Earlier, the KP Governor Ghulam Ali and Deputy Commissioner Shafiullah Khan confirmed the death of 32 and injuries of 150.
Despite busy official engagements, Prime Minister, Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif rushed to Peshawar where he inquired after the health of the injured blast victims at Lady Reading Hospital (LRH). He directed the hospital administration to provide best medical facilities to all the injured.
The Prime Minister visited different wards of LRH and inquired after the health of the injured. The Prime Minister was accompanied by Federal Minister for Defense Khwaja Muhammad Asif, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb and others senior officials of the provincial government.
The explosion was so powerful that the front portion of the mosque, located in the Red Zone, was razed to the ground. The blast occurred in the front row of the worshipers in the mosque where usually around 300 to 400 people performs prayers.
The victims trapped under the debris of the mosque were being rescued by RESCUE 1122 and police. The governor has appealed to the people, particularly those having O negative blood group, to donate blood. The KP Health Department imposed emergency in all three major hospitals of Peshawar.
Commissioner Peshawar Riaz Mehsud told journalists that there was no shortage of medicines in hospitals and rescue operation for recovery of trapped worshippers from the mosque’s debris has almost completed.
The people in a large number thronged the hospital to inquire about the health of their loved ones and donate blood. The LRH spokesman, however, urged the families of the victims to avoid rushing to the hospital so that hassle-free treatment could be provided to the injured being shifted to different wards, including emergency and trauma.
The dead include; Inspector Doran Shah, Zohaib Nawaz resident of Dir Lower, Maqsood Ahmed, Rashida Bibi, Rafiq of Lakki Marwat, Constable Naseem Shah, Liaqat of Charsadda, Driver Amjad, Shehryar, Liaqat of Lakki Marwat, Mohammad Ali of Mian Gujar, Sahibzada, Zahir Shah, Tilawat Shah, Waseem Shah, Gul Ashraf, Hayatullah Khattak, Zubair, Abdul Hameed, Usman, Khalid Khan of Charsadda, Rafiq Khan, Inspector Irfan Khan, FC personnel Shahab of Charsadda, Abdul Wadud, FC personnel Ahmad Khan, Liaqatullah Shah of Lakki Marwat, Atif Mujeeb, Rizwanullah of Charcadda, Hazrat Umer while the identity of two bodies were not yet ascertained due to their mutilated bodies.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, President Dr Arif Ali, former President Asif Ali Zardari, PTI Chairman Imran Khan, Federal Ministers Sanaullah Khan, Marriyam Aurangzeb, Governor KP Ghulam Ali, PM Adviser Amir Muqam and Caretaker CM KP, Azam Khan strongly condemned the attack.
The political leaders said that such cowardice acts could not shake the moral and determination of the government and people of Pakistan in the fight against terrorism and the culprits would be brought to justice.(APP)
