Peshawar suicide bombing death toll rises to 100

PESHAWAR: The death toll in the Police Lines mosque blast in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa capital has risen to 100, officials said on Tuesday.

Monday’s suicide bombing in the crowded mosque at the time of Zuhr prayers was one of the deadliest carried out in recent times. According to police, besides the 100 martyred, the tragic incident has also left 221 people wounded, some of them with serious injuries. The intensity of the blast brought down the roof that crashed down on the worshippers.

According to a police official, rescue and search operations were being carried out.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa observed a day of mourning on Tuesday on the instructions of Caretaker Chief Minister Azam Khan, who said the government shared the grief of the families of those martyred in the suicide bombing.

The national flag flew at half-mast across the province.

A news channel report said that a preliminary investigation report has been sent to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Citing sources, it said that the initial evidence indicated that it was a suicide attack.

Capital City Police Officer Peshawar Mohammad Aijaz Khan, while speaking to the same channel, said that the blast appears to be a suicide attack and the head of the suspected bomber has also been found at the site.

He said that the exact nature of the blast will be known once the rescue operation concludes. “It is possible that the attacker was already present in the Police Lines before the blast and that he may have used an official vehicle [to enter],” he said.

The CCPO added that there are offices of over eight departments in Police Lines. “About 1,500 to 2,000 police officers visit the Police Lines daily,” he said.