APS all over again: Celebs mourn Peshawar madrassa blast

Many have pointed out how the lives of children have once again become targets by terrorists

Seven people were killed and over 123 were injured after an explosive device in a bag detonated inside a madrassa in Peshawar's Dir Colony on Tuesday.

Police sources revealed that around 40-50 children were present inside the madrassa as the bomb went off. The seminary's administration added that around 1,100 students study at the institution and students between the ages of 22 and 28 were present in the class at the time of the explosion.

SP City Peshawar Waqar Azeem told The Express Tribune that an unidentified man entered the madrassa around 8 am and left a suspicious school bag on the premises. He said the bag is believed to have had an IED device that went off when the children started filling in the seminary.

Following the tragic incident, several public figures and social media users took to Twitter to express their grief.  “At a loss of words. May the martyrs of the #DirColony tragedy rest in eternal peace. My thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families and the injured,” wrote actor and singer Farhan Saeed.

At a loss of words!

May the martyrs of the #DirColony tragedy rest in eternal peace. My thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families and the injured.#Peshawar #Pakistan

— Farhan Saeed (@farhan_saeed) October 27, 2020

Singer and now ambassador for Pakistan’s first knowledge city Ali Zafar also expressed his sadness with a tweet, alongside a song he released following the tragic APS attack of 2014. “I’m deeply saddened by the terrorist attack on the madrassa in Peshawar. It brings back some haunting memories from the Peshawar school attack. None of this should be forgotten,” he shared.

Deeply saddened by terrorist attack on madrassah in Peshawar. Brings back haunting memories from the Peshawar school attack. None of this should be forgotten. https://t.co/ZmrkbCFc30 #PeshawarBlast

— Ali Zafar (@AliZafarsays) October 27, 2020

The music video of his track titled Urainge featured several from the entertainment fraternity, including Anwar Maqsood, Ali Azmat, Meesha Shafi, Hadiqa Kiani and Hamza Ali Abbasi, among others.

Seasoned actor Humayun Saeed also tweeted about the incident. “Deeply saddened to learn about the terrorist attack in a Peshawar madrassa,” he said. “My mind is numb at the thought of our children bleeding again, an unfathomable loss for the families. Lots and lots of prayers for the victims. May Allah protect us from all evil,” he concluded.

Deeply saddened to learn about the terrorist attack in Peshawar madrassa. Mind is numb at the thought of our children bleeding again. Unfathomable loss for the families... Lots and lots of prayers for the victims. May Allah protect us from all evil.

— Humayun Saeed (@iamhumayunsaeed) October 27, 2020

Salman Ahmad did not hold back from penning down his anger. “Peshawar blast is a sad reminder that those cowards who hide in the dark to stalk innocent Pakistanis are completely aligned with the forces which create instability and chaos,” he said, reassuring netziens that “they will not succeed.”

#Peshawar blast is a sad reminder that those cowards who hide in the dark to stalk innocent Pakistanis are completely aligned with the forces which create instability & chaos. They will not succeed.

— salman ahmad (@sufisal) October 27, 2020

Meanwhile, singer and songwriter Fakhr-e-Alam deemed the incident another ‘cowardly’ attempt at destabilising the country. “Cowardly terrorist attack on children this morning in Peshawar. There is a clear strategy to destabilise Pakistan."

Cowardly terrorist attack on children this morning in Peshawar. There is a clear strategy to destabilize Pakistan. It’s a multi tier co ordinated effort by both external & internal cowards. But the nation stands resolute & our resolve for peace & progress will not be stopped.

— Fakhr-e-Alam (@falamb3) October 27, 2020

It’s a multi-tier coordinated effort by both external and internal cowards,” he added. “But the nation stands resolute and our resolve for peace and progress will not be stopped,” claimed the actor.

Hospital sources stated that out of the total injured brought to the hospital around 50 were children. And Tariq Burki, the director of the hospital said four of the dead were also children.

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