Locals try to console a family member at the hospital after the Qissa Khwani attack. PHOTO: MUHAMMAD IQBAL/EXPRESS
Initial reports suggest the attack's principal target was a nearby police station. There was no immediate claim of responsibility.
This is the third attack in Peshawar in the last eight days. Last Friday, at least 19 people were killed and dozens were injured when a bomb exploded inside a van carrying Civil Secretariat employees. Last Sunday, over 78 parishioners, among them 34 women and seven children, were killed and over a hundred were injured in an attack on the All Saints Church.
Injured
Rescue officials reached the blast site and shifted the injured to Lady Reading Hospital. Emergency was declared in the hospital.
Many of the injured are in critical condition.
Blast
The blast took place near a police station in the Qissa Khwani area - a place crowded with shops and families. Fire erupted soon after the explosion and at least eight shops were also damaged.
Police cordoned off the blast site, while the bomb disposal squad collected evidence. It was determined that around 200 kilogrammes of explosives were planted inside a car used in the blast.
The bomb disposal chief told AFP the evidence suggested it was a remote controlled bomb.
"In fact, the whole car, which had been parked along the roadside, was converted into a remote controlled bomb," he said.
Target
Local officials said they did not initially believe the police station was the intended target.
"Police station does not seem to be the target as it was away from the attack site," bomb disposal chief Shafqat Malik said.
He said, "It looks like the market was the target."
PTI Chairman Imran Khan
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman Imran Khan said that Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa was being deliberately targeted so that peace won't prevail in Pakistan.
Strongly condemning the blast, he assured the nation that the culprits will be punished.
Asserting that some parties were using the tragedy for political point-scoring, he said that this was unfortunate and all political parties should come together to restore peace in Pakistan.
PTI chairman said that he had directed the coalition government to provide support to provincial security and intelligence apparatus.
Condemnation
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government condemned the attack and issued directives to provide facilities to those injured in the explosion.
President Mamnoon Hussain, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Muttahida Quami Movement chief Altaf Hussain also condemned the attack.
COMMENTS (115)
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Words cannot describe the barbaric nature of this attack. The enemies of peace continue to work against our peace objectives in the region. It is no secret that the nation of Pakistan continues to face the wrath of terrorism. We cannot over emphasize Pakistan’s importance in the region. The truth is that we cannot have a safe and secure region without a safe and secure Pakistan. We denounce this act of terror and wish to see the culprits caught and punished to the fullest extent of the law. We send our deepest heartfelt condolences to the victims’ families. We also wish a quick and speedy to those who are injured. We will not let these acts of terror deter us from restoring peace in the region. We stand by the government of Pakistan and hope to work together to negate the threat of terrorism.
Ali Khan DET, United States Central Command
@Waqar: "@salimmaybe you should listen to his speech in NA back in 2001…knowing half truth is just as fatal as knowing no truth"
Thank you Sir! But most humbly may state that there was NO National Assembly in 2001!!
@salimmaybe you should listen to his speech in NA back in 2001...knowing half truth is just as fatal as knowing no truth
MQM, PPP, and ANP supporters love to criticize PTI because they are still sore about losing the election. Imran is 100% correct, talking to those who want peace with Pakistan and going after those who work for foreign interests (Indian, US, Israel). Pakistan is being targeted by all the enemies of peace from drone attacks, cross-border shelling in Kashmir, and bomb attacks by foreign agents. Not all Taliban is the same, even Americans are willing to talk with Afghani Taliban. What makes us any different? We should differential fake TTP Taliban from real Afghan Taliban.
My heart reaches out to all who lost their beloved ones. Religious extremism is a curse to human kind.
@naeem khan Manhattan Ks:
" It seems to me that some of these killings and terrorist activities are not the work of some Muslim outfits but some one who wants to see Pakistan destabilize to the extent that it implodes and who could that be, Pakistan does not need enemies when they have special kind of friends in middle east and North America, also, one should not ignore the neighbors in the east and west of Pakistan."
There you go! Blame others for the problems Pakistan created itself. You blame the US but see no problem living in the US and enjoying all the benefits. Hippocratic?
@Rambo: No, It was not Musharraf or ANP .. all they did was to ask these savages to stop disrespecting an international border and stop crossing over to another country where they were creating mayhem.
@Syed A. Mateen:
I hope you have any idea that terrorism is a national issue and especially when it emanates form FATA which is under federal control. All the agencies have failed here and it is primarily a failure of our intelligence agencies most of which are under federal control.......BUY since you can only criticize and have nothing else to say, keep it up
Aur punga loh RAW say!!!
Islam teaches peace n brotherhood ...but u will never hear such words in pakisran
Im missing "Rehman Malik" :)..Now there is no one to take notice !!!
Even a five year kid can spot the motivation behind this sudden increase in blasts in KPK.
I think TTP were sleeping before APC decided on peace talks.
Such a clueless nation we are !
@Bala krishnan (Self): why would the indian army fight someone else's war?
let's request to US for drones operation against TTP.
very very sad ... my heart bleeds ... why my country ... why ?
@poleturtle:
Where is the evidence by PTI government on this? Its PTI government now so don’t make up stuff, do some investigation and bring the CIA agents to justice if they are really involved.
However as PTI leadership knows it’s their friends the Taliban who are behind this so they won’t do anything except lip service.
@Umer: Do not mix politics and religion.This is a political problem not religion.
Looking at the comments of people talking war, cursing IK.... I understand why Pakistan will remain backward. Pakistan will remain backward as they impatient and unable to understand right from wrong and unable to see it is an open ground for all agencies. Let us curse the only person who is able to take Pakistan out of this crises.
"Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa was being deliberately targeted so that peace won’t prevail in Pakistan". from how long we are hearing this. the question they raise must be answered. targeted by who?
@javaid randhawa:
It’s the Army and IK who is in government that need so to provide solution. Therefore criticism is justified. IK should resign if he can't deliver.
@Bala krishnan (Self): Yeah, they are savior of the world, hey, why don't they fight the Chines to get the land back from them which India has some kind of claim over it. We will see how great this Indian Army is.
@Pashtuns???? TTP people are also Pashtuns
One way to fight this menace is to put cameras every where and monitor it 24/7 and by hiring educated police officers, also encourage the business community to install some of their own cameras with the help of government, subsidizing the cameras will be lot cheaper in the long run. I will also suggest to get some help from London police in this regard for observing and monitoring the potential bombers, they have the most experienced officers in monitoring through cameras all over London than any one in the world. It is also the duty of every citizen to report to the concerned authorities about these suspicious characters and their movements in the neighborhood. It seems to me that some of these killings and terrorist activities are not the work of some Muslim outfits but some one who wants to see Pakistan destabilize to the extent that it implodes and who could that be, Pakistan does not need enemies when they have special kind of friends in middle east and North America, also, one should not ignore the neighbors in the east and west of Pakistan. My condolence to the bereaved families and may the deceased rest in peace.
if central government,,provincial governments,intelligence agencies are not clearly exposing the culprits and are using vague terms in this regard,just expressing sorrow etc,,,just understand one thing,,they are part of problem too...
Its the CIA. Remember folks, as long as the Americans remain in Pakistan, there will bo no peace. In fact there will be no peace even after they leave. Just look at Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, and Pakistan.
Why does this think not happen in Iran? Simply because the Iranians do not let neither Americans nor UN personnel into their country. Majority of the UN staff is also on the payroll of the CIA.
WHO HAS THE GUTS TO BELL THE CAT ?
And, why exactly are they killing their own ? What purpose does it serve ?
we Indians shall never forgot the mumbai terrorist attacks
@Malik Hamza: I beg your pardon - during Mush' dictatorship, on the one hand he was taking aid from the USA, and on the other, feeding training camps of the so called freedom fighters who have turned on Pakistan. The Pandora's box opened with the occupation of Swat, Lal Masjid; the rest is well recorded by media. Unfortunately, no one presently is willing to take decisions of substance bearing in mind firstly the horrific loss of human resources, and secondly the very existence of Pakistan is under threat.
Dear Khan,
I am a great fan of PTI, but please do something in real beyond "Tweeting".
Do we care? NO. Neither the federal gov. nor the provincial gov. So keep on chanting the mantra of "muzakaraat".......with monsters.
Imran Khan’s family is safe in London and Lahore. He can afford to play games with Pakhtoon lives. When one PTI member died in Karachi, Imran Khan made so much fuss over it but when hundreds Pakhtoons die he does not care.
Taliban condemned the Peshawar Atttacks and said that they are not involved on any level in these attacks. Source Dunya News
Imran Khan set a new dimension of making an office for TTP. if it happens and allowed by the ....... then so many forces would be exposed other than TTP..... This will helped our agencies more. they should welcome this new and interesting dimension ...... One should think with the common sense that if Imran is a friend of TTP then why they are attacking PTI govt?????? Big Question????? Of course their are other forces using TTP account.......
How to work at building society without this weekly bloodshed ?
How ?
Do the people have solution or everyone criticize on army, IK etc. They are thinking, planning what they can do. Enemy is more powerful. Just wait till their decision. We are under attack by Indians and their agents.
Is the five lac strong Pak army on a paid holiday, who decided not to take on the Taliban ? Pakistan can request India to send its army to help them, and I am sure Dr Manmohan Singh will never refuse Mr Nawaz Sharif for this noble cause of saving innocent civilians in Pakistan.
Taliban have a de facto govt in Fata. Why can't we just recognise it de jure also and give it the status of an independent country. This is what Imran Khan is advocating. What is wrong with this idea ? Then we can treat it just like India and take it to UN etc if they continue attacking our cities.
Dr.Manmohan singh is right pakistan is the epicenter of global terrorism
@abdullah:
Why is PTI and PMLN so keen to negotiate with Taliban? They should instead be negotiating with RAW, MOSSAD and CIA. You right (wrong) wingers are full of contradictions.
Cut off the supply of replacements at the same time as neutralizing those in the field.
Very cheapest price of life in the world.No security or guarantee of life.
Can we hire a foreign army to do the job because Punjabi army will not do it.
Oh! God! Today would be a very sad day for our great leader Imran Khan. No not because many people killed by Talibaans today. That doesn't concern him. Our good looking leader is sad because in a drone attack USA has killed our terrorists brothers. Please someone help him to cheer him up. Help. Help. Someone. Where is Ayla Malik?
Now embrace yourselves to hear PTI apologetic tone.
@Pakhtoons: Our army (DHA) now owned by Mr Riaz Malik, new job role of our army is to contruct plazas & Ordinance factories only. Where a dictator becomes a hero (Pervaiz Musharaf) what you are expecting from our armed forces Ha Ha Ha
Strongly condemn this gross violation of Geneva Conventions by TTP.
I am sure now that some thing is fishy. Just as NS went to UN for talks and demanded end to drone strikes. another blast took place. IK and NS speaking for talks, again blast. Some thing is really fishy. NAB and ISI should wake up and find the actual reason behind it.
We have got immune to what happens everyday to our brothers and sisters who die in such shameful attacks. The wrath of these attacks can only be felt by people who are victims of it. But honestly speaking, these victims becomes terrorists as and when they lose their family, health and wealth in these attacks.
So what our world 5th Largest army doing in terror war from last 09 years .. why didn't they crushed Taliban yet ?? Things in FATA / KP are not this much simple as some people thought while sitting in their drawing room. You have to consider the CIA agents like Raymon Davis are involved in all this scenario ... When Raymon davis caught in Lahore then from his camera video of interior city Peshawar obtained .. Why ? can anyone answer ?
Good or Bad terrorist done this?
Actually Imran Khan's sons lives in London safely so he don't need to take tension.
Do Taliban accept the responsibility ? Or CIA agents like Raymond Davis are involved ?
Rambo Why don't you and khan desnt open his ears and eyes and see the reality that within a week how many people have been killed.dont you DARE blame anyone or Mushraff. MUshraff is a brave leader who speaks against them however Khan supports TTP. Give them ur offices .
Leadership of Pakistan at least educate people to not allow unknown and suspicious cycles or motorcycles to park besides their shops or any unattended packets or bags. In Israel whenever their is Mortar attack from the Palestinians or if their is a chance of chemical attack on border regions Israeli T.v and papers , bills etc educate people what Precaution should they attack and immediately report it to the security agencies. Israeli secret police in plain clothes also keeps and eye on busy market places to check any suspicious unattended things or Person in Market. We are in a state of war and we must be ready and people should be educated just like Polio and dengue diseases , people should be educated how to prepare and foil Improvised explosive devices which are meant to kill only innocent civilians.
Shame for PTI who is ruling KPK. PTI has failed.
Pakistan is at war today because it refused to see that terrorists bent on establishing control by violent means can never be appeased, only defeated. In so doing, it emboldened the murderers — and achieved not peace, but its opposite. There is little point making one concession after another if the TTP’s hostility seems undimmed. Instead, the state should abandon appeasement and go to war until the TTP unequivocally renounces terror and violence.
@Rambo: Mr. Rambo, please give us your source which proves 'IK said the final option is full-scale war against TTP'. IK has never explicitly condemned TTP. If you don't agree prove me the contrary.
KPK government led by PTI has failed in providing peace to the province. PTI is fully exposed. They can do nothing except raising slogans.
Army has been proven to be impotent against external and internal affairs. All they have been doing is to undermine domestic and external democratic civil societies and that is a sign of impotency too, nothing else.
@Rambo: ANP was the party which declared Afghan Jihad as Afghan Fasad.
Fruits of special relationship with Saudi Arabia.
@Liaqat Yousufzai and others:
Can you identify any one of those "good" groups with whom you can have peace?
Afghanistan and the USA have been talking to the 'good' Taliban for 5 years now. What have they achieved? And that's the US, a country that can negotiate with its vast resources.
If the likes of Maulana Fazul Rehman, Saimul Haq, etc etc wants it, they can put an end to this. But for them the Talibans and the sectarian outfit are pursuing an agenda on their behalf.
Have you ever heard any of them condemn it? NO.
We will keep suffering this till we are able to convince the clergy leaders to start condemining these.
blame IK PLEASE.....its all coz of him....y is he not giving order to shot these drone down, y is he not Giving authority to wage a war in FATA....its all IK.....
Ahsan ullah Ahsan is a living legend, who claims responsibility of attacks on behalf of TTP. Still the attackers are not known? Fail to understand the logic of Insafians on this ...
US need operation. So, if we go for operation, we are trapping ourself in never ending WAR. When this nation will learn ?
3rd attack in 8 days .. this is not even suspicious anymore .. clear cut attempts to sabotage peace process.
now IK will more strongly say to open office of ttp in pakistan
My God, what is this?!. The government, provincial or federal, must do something about this. What do they want?. Do they want civilians to start fighting against these elements?. Break out into a civil war?. Can the wounded people of Pakistan bear that?.
How many condemnations are the federal and provincial governments going to do?. Till all innocent Pakistanis are bombed?, and we become nothing but wind blowing through plains from top to bottom?. How do they sleep at night while their own people get slaughtered in hundreds everyday?.
Soooorrrryyyy... I voted PTI :(
Mr. Prime Minister should immediately return back to Pakistan and should formulate a clear strategy against these terrorists/militants within the shortest possible time, bringing all stakeholders on board.
High time to start the negotiations with Talban officially and take action against the one who are killing innocent.
So PTI stands for Pakistani Taliban Incorporation.
Support Negotiations! This bomb blast further solidifies the notion of 'sabotage' and involvement of powers other than the boogey man (TTP) ...
People are getting killed each day and since 10 years only APC resolution is passed for Talks but still not a single round of Talks are happening. The way there is a sudden rise of remote controlled IED blasts are happening and the is mainly to kill huge numbers of men, women and children is a clear indication that local fugitives who call themselves Taliban are playing in the laps of Khad and Raw agency facilitated by CIA. Leaders like Imran Khan, Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Nawaz Sharif who are playing politics on the dead bodies will understand this menace only when their sons and daughters will get killed by IED bomb blasts which are taking innocent lives.
Times has come to act against Taliban or handover Pakistan to Them.
A day is not far off when media may start reporting "No bomb blasts anywhere today" as news instead of reporting these bomb blasts. At this rate people will stop noticing or reacting to murder and mayhem. May be that will make these murderous terrorists to stop indulging in such acts.
Helplessness at its worst.
Its an international conspiracy. If still, we are so much naive, then we deserve all this
Any bright statements from IK?He specializes in rubbing salt into the wounds of the victims.
Welcome to Bombistan. Where one bomb a day, keeps humanity away.
Blastistan !
@xor: Some powerful forces, and they want to escalate the war not stop it.
With ongoing proposals of peace talks and Pakistan PM denouncing drone strikes at the UN, the sudden upsurge in attacks is indeed very suspicious.
Army lost every war in pak history while winning all the real estate wars...zindabademphasized text
Give free hand to indian army
@Rambo: How conveniently people forget the past!! The "war on terror" decision was taken in 2001 (which was mandated by the UN). Mr. Imran Khan staunchly supported Musharraf till 2003. When such support is given to a leader it is obvious that his policies have tacit approval! Wake up Imran supporters!!!
Let's do Dialogue with Taliban.. And let them have some Fire Works... Uffff
when u cherish snakes someday they will bite you.......... this is what happening in our land of pure & u all blame my country for that........
Its now confirm some forces do not like talks and negotiations.
The greatest game for decades…..Using Pashtuns against Pushtuns at all fronts…..by the name war on terror, national security and writ of the government or taliban…….. In Balochistan Pashtun are victims, Afghanistan Pashtuns, KPK Pashtuns, FATA Pashtuns, Swat Pashtun, Karachi Pashtuns….FC Pashtuns….Police Pashtuns…Taliban Pashtuns……World politicians using Pashtuns, agencies using Pashtun, Local politicians using Pashtuns……wake up Pashtuns before no Pashtun to be alive.
Blaming the army is counter-productive when the army itself has lost so many soldiers and officers. Our political leaders should have the will to unconditionally decide to destroy this menace. The army has many problems, but it is fighting this menace and bleeding and dying like we all are.
Is this your new Pakistan? Imran Khan if you can't stop terrorists then please atleast condemn their act, but how can you, you are ally of TTP.
And this is what Epicentre of Terrorism
The Chief Minister of KPK should resign immediately if he has any ounce of shame left in him or Imran Khan!
We're fighting ghosts. Someone will issue a statement in a paper and claim responsibility anytime soon. No inquiry as to whether the said group did it even or not.
Clearly identifying the enemy is critical.
We are playing with people's lives just because of our egos. We cant admit we're weak. We cant admit that our security apparatus in the federal administered area has failed.
@Wahas Ahmed: Not dialogue with Imran Khan but identify the hidden forces behind the attacks, i am not talking of mercenaries means Taliban. Once identified, then dialogue with them what they want. The recent surge of attacks is just to sabotage the peace process. Moreover, a peace process with a clear mechanism is the only way to sort out bad and evil groups and can help identify their real motives.
This shows the performance of KPK Government.
People are dying due to bomb blasts and suicidal attacks, but KPK Government is unable to trace the culprits.
What a performance, where lives of ordinary person has no value in the eyes of KPK Government.
and look at the timing of the blasts, our pm is on the visit to stop drones,and the response would be, how could that be possible, just see what happened in peshawar.
May the departed souls rest in peace and may Allah grant patience to their families.
Please give us peace, we beg you TTP, reiterated PM, Imran and Chief of Army Staff.
and stupid people came to the conclusion without any thoughts on it....and how did the string of blasts started again with start on negotiating with taliban,,,,,,any clues.. things arent that simple people...come out of that rigid thoughts, there are other things available in the market too...including foreign items, try to check those too.
Impotent leadership - both army and civilian
No Muslim can do this, Let's do Dialogue said Imran Khan
Innah Lillah he Wa Inna Elihe Rejeoon.
Pak Army - are you waiting us all the Pakhtoons to be on Taliban side or what ???? what are you waiting for ??? enough is enough. just do your job if lil bit of shame remaining.
Call the ambassador of "peace" Hitler Khan.
Terrorists Talibans of Pakistan (TTP) has done it once again. The divide within the Talibans is self created so that they can continue killing and at the same time keep talking about peace.