PESHAWAR: A powerful suicide blast inside a mosque in Peshawar’s Police Lines area on Monday martyred 59 people while 157 others were injured, officials told Geo News.
According to security officials, the suicide attacker was present in the front row during the Zuhr prayer when he exploded himself, injuring dozens of faithful.
The outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) had taken responsibility for the attack.
Sahibzada Noor Ul Amin, Imam of the mosque, was also martyred in the blast, police said.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has reached Peshawar where he is briefed on all aspects about the blast.
PM Shehbaz will also visit the injured. He will be accompanied by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb and Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah.
After being questioned by PM Shehbaz about the attack on the mosque, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General of Police Moazzam Jah Ansari said that “investigations are underway” about how the attack happened and how the terrorist entered the vicinity.
“Don’t know where the attacker came from and how he entered?” Ansari said.
The police chief further said that “there are family quarters inside the Police Lines and the attacker could be already living in the area”.