At least eight worshipers, including two children, were killed and 55 others injured in a powerful explosion at a Tableeghi Markaz (Islamic preaching centre and mosque) on Thursday.
“The explosion ripped through the Tableeghi Markaz located on Charsadda Road when worshipers were offering prayer,” Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Najib-ur-Rehman said.
Initially it was suspected to be a cylinder blast, but a foot deep crater between two pillars of the prayer hall dismissed that theory.
Furthermore, the distinctive smell of explosives and the crater strongly pointed to a planted device, which was later confirmed by the Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS).
Concluding that it was not a suicide bombing, Additional Inspector General of Bomb Disposal Squad Shafqat Malik, said a timed device with at least 5 kilogrammes of explosive was used in the bombing.
“The timed improvised explosive device (IED) was hidden inside an empty canister of ghee,” Malik said.
According to hospital sources at least 55 injured have so far been brought to the emergency room — many of them critical.
A wounded worshiper said that they had just started offering Namaz-e Maghrib (prayer offered just after sunset) when the explosion struck.
“The bomb went off while we were in the middle of first Rakat (a unit of Muslim prayer),” he said. He added that faithful were still pouring in as it was a special worship night, which attracted many preachers and participants from and out of the city.
“This special 3-day preaching session starts on Thursday night and the terrorists struck when the attendance peaked,” an official said.
Police said that about 800 people were present in the congregation when the bomb exploded.
Moreover, an hour after the Peshawar blast, a remote controlled bomb was recovered from the Tableehgi Jamaat Markaz in Nowshera. According to reports the markaz was vacated and the Bomb Disposal Squad was called in which diffused the bomb.
TALIBAN DENY INVOLVEMENT:
Meanwhile, the banned terrorist outfit, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan has condemned the bombing and claimed that it was not involved in it.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility from any other militant group.
