A police official showing sharpnel to media persons after explosion at the Tableeghi Markaz on Charsadda road in Peshawar. PHOTO: APP
The bomb, planted in a can of cooking oil, occurred inside the main hall of the two-storey preaching centre during Maghrib prayers. The terror attacks were not immediately claimed by any group.
"The death toll from the blast at the preaching centre has raisen to nine," provincial health minister Shaukat Yousafzai told AFP. The dead and injured included children.
"Seven patients are in critical condition and I fear a rise in the death toll," he said.
Most of the injured were treated at the Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar.
Bomb Disposal Squad and police revealed that explosives weighing around five to six kilogrammes had been packed inside a 'ghee' (cooking oil) tin and had been smuggled into the mosque in an individual's bedding. It is a common practice at the 'Shab-e-Juma' to bring one's own mattress for an overnight stay at the mosque.
"Five kilograms of explosives were dumped in a can. It
went off when the building was jam-packed with worshippers in
the evening," head of local BDS Shafqat Malik said.
The premier and President as well as various politicians condemned the incident. Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar has sought a report of the incident from IG of police in Khyber Pukhtunkhwa.
Additional bombs defused
Following the bomb blast in the evening, BDS was recalled to the site to investigate a suspicious sleeping bag.
Officials discovered that the bag contained explosives and officials utilised specialised equipment to defuse the bomb.
Soon after, a search yielded a third bomb at the site which had also been disguised as a 'ghee' tin. The bomb was also defused by the BDS.
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End of Live Updates
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11:55 pm
Two additional bombs found at the centre have also been defused by the BDS using specialised equipment.
One bomb was found in a sleeping bag which the BDS defused using a robot.
A third bomb, disguised as a 'ghee' tin, has also been defused. BDS officials said that the third bomb weighed between five to seven kilogrammes.
The device was spotted near pillar 49 in the main hall and was removed by the BDS.
Officials said that the two bombs had been connected to mobile phones, which were being used as remote detonators.
After the recovery of the third device, police and BDS launched a comprehensive search of the premises. The administration had previously refused to allow the entry of police in the building.
A case of the incident was also registered against unknown persons.
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8:03 pm
The Ulema Council decides to hold a protest demonstration against the incident on Friday.
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8:03 pm
The Ulema Council decides to hold a protest demonstration against the incident on Friday.
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8:00 pm
Despite the bomb blast, worshippers offered Isha prayers in the mosque as usual.
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7:47 pm
Seven of the injured reported to be in a critical condition.
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7:44 pm
JI chief Munawar Hassan tweets:
"I reiterate that we are strongly against the loss of innocent lives whether its due to American war on terror or other terrorist activities."
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7:32 pm
CCPO Ejaz Khan states that 7 people are now known to be dead, including a child.
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7: 26 pm
Participants at the Shab-e-Juma estimated at around 5, 000.
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7: 25 pm
PTI tweets:
"Health Minister KPK Shaukat Yousufzai is present at Lady Reading Hospital to monitor the treatment and first aid given to the injured."
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7: 21 pm
The bomb was brought inside the mosque hidden in an individual's bedding (people bring their own mattresses/sleeping bags for an overnight stay during 'Shab-e-Juma').
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7: 18 pm
Chaudhry Nisar asks IG K-P for report on the blast.
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7: 17 pm
Reported number of people injured rises to 55.
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7: 14 pm
This is not the first time a Shab-e-Juma gathering has been attacked. A previous blast targeted people at a Swat centre of the Tableeghi Jamaat.
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7: 09 pm
People were observing Shab-e-Juma inside the Ahl-e-Sunnat mosque, a religious gathering routinely conducted on Thursday nights.
The explosion occurred near pillar 79 in the main hall of the mosque, where foreign delegates usually stay.
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7: 05 pm
IG Khyber Pukhtunkhwa confirms the explosion occurred due to a timed device planted inside a ghee tin.
The IG confirmed that at least 5kg of explosive material was used.
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7: 00 pm
Tahirul Qadri and Imran Khan condemn blast and express sympathy with the victims.
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6: 50 pm
The bomb was planted inside the Tableeghi Markaz.
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6:41 pm
Senior Awami National Party (ANP) leader Mian Iftikhar Hussain arrives at the scene and expresses his sympathies for the victims.
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6:34 pm
Six killed and at least 51 injured in blast.
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6:23 pm
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Chief Minister Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Pervez Khattak express their sympathies for the victims of the blast.
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6:21 pm
Number of people injured in blast rises to 24.
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6:14 pm
Four killed in the blast, reported Express News.
Many of the injured are being taken to Lady Reading Hospital.
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6:10 pm
At least 20 people reportedly injured in attack. Thousands were in attendance at the Tableeghi Markaz.
The injured are being transported to hospitals.
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6:05 pm
Blast heard in Tableeghi Markaz during Maghrib prayers.
Security forces are on the way.
This is a developing story and will be updated accordingly.
COMMENTS (39)
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@vande mataram:
Typical ignorant comment.
@Midhat: which mosque? who's mosque?
Indian Hindu agents are 100% responsible. No doubt about that. Its a ploy to get the Pakistan military entrenched in FATA.
@vande mataram: The blast took place at a mosque at during tableegh session. Isnt it evident the attack is more related to vengence towards state than anything else? if religion was a motivation they would probably not be attacking a mosque atleast. Shows terroists have no religion!
This must be the handy work of RAW
Victims' relatives are cursing the PTI government on TV.
Every single day there is a blast in pakistan..Even Indians who have hatred towards pakistanis never wish such a high number of loss of human lives.You guys should take some drastic steps to improve this mess...Dont be just spectators and pray Allay to bless the martyrs..Sad
such type of heinous act on peaceful gathering of tableegi markaz is Really regretable..my sympathy with the victims...
Gotta love those so called assets.
@Altaf qureshi: What is Raheem Sharif?
Pakistan is now screaming for the most dangerous country in the world. The massive failure of their military to step in & take command of a daily dangerous situation is a clear reflection of the lacking moral courage to apprehend the enemy face on &'the total silence of its citizens to demand better protection of these constant terror attacks in Pakistan on Pakistanis in sacred areas is beyond belief! The people in Libya took action, the Egyptians took to the streets,the Syrians protested but Pakistanis stood solid in total silence!
dear pakistanis i want to ask you a question, who is martyr here? the one who did bombing are the people died in the bomb? ask your jamaat.
It seems Beard and Bomb are synonymous now a days. Can any amount of education shape their brain ? No...I think...God saves world.
Choice has to be made by the country. A completely secular state and religion relegated to the private sphere, or a theocratic nightmare where divinely ordained murder is a daily ritual.
Vengence was had for drone victims today.
Unless drones stop and NATO supply get blocked, these blasts will keep on @PTI
GOOD;
The common people in Pakistan need justice, and our "elected" governments have failed miserably to protect the citizens of this county. The extremist barbarians should not be "talked" with. The one language that they understand can be only delivered through the barrel of a gun.
condolences to the families of those bereaved. Wish a full and speedy recovery to those that are injured.I cannot understand what more the barbarians have to do for the government to respond.
@Fayez:
Why is PTI government allowing them to do so?
@Altaf qureshi: I answered your question earlier but moderator blocked it. I repeat 'Wahabism happened to Pakistan'.