At least 56 were killed and more than 190 were injured in a suicide attack on the Kucha Risaldar mosque in Peshwar on Friday. The attack was carried out when hundreds of worshippers gathered in the mosque to offer Friday prayers. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet.
Peshwar police chief Muhammad Ejaz Khan termed the attack a suicide attack and said that it was carried out by two people. He said that the two attackers opened fire on the policemen standing guard outside the mosque. One of the attackers and a policeman were killed in the ensuing gun battle.
However, CCTV footage of the incident shows only one man clad in black shalwar kameez and brandishing a pistol. As he gets in the vicinity of the mosque, he opens fire on the policeman and kills him. He also fires several shots at a man who tries to stop him. Then he hastily runs inside the mosque and detonates the bomb fitted on his body.
City officials said that five to six kilograms of explosive material were used in the attack. They said that there was no prior intelligence about the attack.
KP government spokesman Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif told the media that the police personnel were deployed outside the mosque as a “general rule.” Following countless deadly attacks on the Shia community in Pakistan, it has become the standard security procedure to deploy police forces to guard the mosques of the Shia community during congregational Friday and Eid prayers.
“Those martyred and injured in the attack would be given monetary assistance under the government’s special package,” Saif said.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet.
Pakistani government officials condemned Friday’s attack in Peshawar and directed the authorities to investigate the incident. Prime Minister Imran directed the provision of immediate medical treatment to the injured.