KP observes day of mourning as toll mounts to 95 with 221 injured

PESHAWAR: A day of mourning was observed across the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Tuesday as the death toll of Monday’s suicide bombing at the mosque of the Malik Saad Shaheed Police Lines mounted to 101.

Inspector General of Police KP Moazam Jah Ansari told a news channel that so far 101 worshippers had been martyred.

According to Lady Reading Hospital Spokesperson Muhammad Asim, some 53 injured were still admitted to different wards, including seven in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

Talking to the media at the blast site earlier in the day, caretaker Chief Minister Muhammad Azam Khan said the martyred included mostly policemen while 221 injured were under treatment in various hospitals.

Flanked by IGP Moazam Jah Ansari, he said the government had constituted a high-level inquiry committee to investigate and identify the elements involved in the inhuman act.

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Azam Khan said the government stood by the blast victims and their families in the hour of tribulation and would provide them all facilities, including financial assistance. The process for payment of compensation to the families of the deceased and injured was underway, he added.

Later addressing the police personnel at the police lines, the chief minister said the police force would be equipped with modern weapons. The worsening law and order situation of the province had also been brought to the notice of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, he added.

IGP Moazam Jah on the occasion said about 10 to12 kilograms of explosives were used in the blast. The bomber blew himself up at around 1 p.m. during the Zuhr prayers, and as a result, the roof of the mosque caved in burying the worshippers in its debris.

He said the aspect of the security lapse could not be overlooked and investigations were underway to ascertain the facts. “We are checking CCTV footage of the last month to trace the facilitators of the bomber.”

A joint investigation team (JIT) had been notified and everything would be clear soon after the completion of the probe, he said. “Those responsible will be brought to book,” he vowed.

The IGP said over 2,000 personnel worked in eight different departments at the Police Lines. Besides, a large number of civilians daily visited the Police Lines, which also encompassed family quarters. Moreover, labourers also entered the site as the construction work was also going on there, he added.

Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Health Abdul Qadir Patel and Secretary Health Punjab contacted KP Governor Ghulam Ali on the telephone and offered healthcare facilities, including doctors and medicines, from Islamabad, Punjab, and Sindh for the injured persons.

Governor Ghulam Ali expressed gratitude to the federal minister and the Secretary Health Punjab for their sympathies and humanitarian support.

Rescue 1122 Spokesperson Bilal Faizi told APP that the search and rescue operation in the collapsed mosque had been completed. A total of 77 bodies of the martyred worshippers were shifted to the hospitals, and 17 of them were retrieved from beneath the mosque’s debris. Likewise, 94 injured were also transported.

According to police sources, a preliminary investigation report of the bombing had been sent to the prime minister. The evidence collected from the blast site indicated that it was a suicide attack and its target was the police.

They said the mosque’s roof tumbled down due to collapsing of its pillars, causing a lot of damage. The CCTV footage from the Police Lines gate and family quarters was being examined.

The KP government observed a day of mourning to express solidarity with the blast victims. The National Flag was kept at half mast at all government and private buildings.

The people in large numbers gathered at the residences of the martyrs to express condolences to their families and offer Fateha for their departed souls.

A sorrowful day was witnessed across the province, particularly in Charsadda, Nowsehra, Swabi, Mardan, and Peshawar as most of the martyred cops belonged to these areas.

The people from all walks of life strongly condemned the terror act and visited the LRH to inquire after the injured cops.

It is pertinent to mention here that security officials claimed that the suicide bomber was present in the front row during the prayers when he detonated himself, hurting numerous devoted people who were praying the Zuhr.

The roof of the mosque collapsed after the blast, due to which injured people were stuck under the rubble. The Rescue teams took out the people from the rubble and shifted them to hospitals.

As the rescue operation at Peshawar Police Line’s mosque continues following a bomb blast, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday reached the metropolis to get a briefing as well as inquire after those injured in the terrorist incident.

During the visit, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the cowardly terror attacks could not weaken resolve of the nation against terrorism and the miscreants and their facilitators involved in attacks on innocent citizens would be punished for their heinous crimes.
Chief of Army Staff Syed Asim Munir received the prime minister on his arrival.
The PM was accompanied by Minister for Defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan and Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb.
On this occasion, the Corps Commander Peshawar briefed the prime minister about the motives behind the terror attacks.