KOHAT: A blast near a mosque in Kohat’s Police Lines area during Friday prayers killed at least 21 people and injured more than 50 others on Friday, triggering a major rescue operation and heightened security.
District Headquarters Hospital Medical Superintendent Tahir Ali Shah said 21 bodies and more than 50 injured people had been brought to the hospital following the explosion.
Police said the explosion occurred during Friday prayers and left a crater outside the mosque. The blast severely damaged the mosque’s outer section and caused a wall to collapse.
Police personnel were among those injured, according to authorities.
The cause of the explosion was not immediately known. An exchange of fire was also reported in the area after the blast, prompting security forces to cordon off the site and deploy additional personnel.
Rescue 1122 spokesperson Bilal Ahmad Faizi said more than 30 injured people had been transported to the DHQ Hospital.
More than 45 rescue personnel, along with 14 ambulances, rescue vehicles and a recovery vehicle, were taking part in the operation, he said.
Rescue teams continued searching the site and transporting injured people to the hospital as emergency workers assessed the damage.
The DHQ Hospital administration declared an emergency as casualties continued to arrive for treatment.
Authorities closed the Kohat-Hangu Road to traffic following the blast and tightened security around the Police Lines area.
Security personnel remained deployed at the site as rescue teams continued their operations.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the explosion and expressed sorrow over the deaths and injuries.
He directed authorities to provide the injured with immediate and the best possible medical treatment and prayed for their recovery.
The prime minister also sought a report on the nature and cause of the explosion and ordered officials to speed up rescue and relief efforts and provide all possible assistance to those affected.
Rescue and security operations remained underway as authorities worked to determine the circumstances surrounding the blast.
