PESHAWAR: At least seven students were killed and more than one hundred others were injured when a powerful blast struck a seminary in Dir Colony of Peshawar on Tuesday morning.
According to police sources, rescue teams rushed to the spot as soon as the incident was reported. The blast took place near a madrasa and injured many seminary students at the Jamia Zuberia madrassah.
Lady Reading Hospital spokesperson Mohammad Asim said that seven dead bodies and 70 injured including children have been brought to the facility.
He stated that the injured were being provided with immediate medical attention and an emergency had also been declared at the medical facility. Hospital officials said the victims were aged between 20-30 years.
Superintendent Police Waqar Ahmed said an improvised explosive device (IED) was responsible for the blast and around 4-5 kilogrammes of explosive may have been used.
“The blast took place in a seminary during a Quran class. Someone took a bag inside the seminary,” Waqar Azim told a news agency. Police officials said a suspicious man kept a bag outside after which the blast occurred.
Senior Superintendent of Police (Operations) Mansoor Aman confirmed the explosion and said an investigation was underway to determine the cause of the blast.
Another senior police official Mohammad Ali Gandapur confirmed the incident, adding that two teachers were among the wounded. SSP Aman said initial reports suggest an improvised explosive device (IED) was used in the explosion.
More than 100 children were studying in the madrassa when the blast occurred. A bomb disposal team also arrived at the scene and the area has been cordoned off.
The madrassa is adjacent to the mosque and children from the area used to come there to recite the Holy Quran. Evidence is being collected from the accident site which will be sent for forensic tests.
The National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) has issued a security alert for Peshawar and Quetta, saying that banned militant outfit Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is planning terrorist activities in the two cities.
A statement by the authority says that the TTP aims to target religious and political parties in bomb attacks and suicide bombings. The authority has recommended strict security measures in Quetta and Peshawar to avoid any untoward incident.
On Sunday, a blast occurred Hazarganji area near Quetta in which three people were killed and several others were injured. The explosive material was planted in a motorcycle while security forces and rescue teams reached the spot area and initiated investigation.”
Condemnations
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister Shaukat Yousufzai said Chief Minister Mahmood Khan had summoned a meeting to discuss the security situation. He revealed that Quetta and Peshawar were on threat alert following which security had been heightened.
Yousufzai said the seminary staff and children were soft targets for the terrorists always, adding that the area been peaceful for a long time,
Federal Information Minister Shibli Faraz also condemned the attack and promised to “bury those with nefarious intentions to destablise the country”.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vice-president Maryam Nawaz termed it a “heartbreaking incident” and condoled with the victims and their families.
پشاور مدرسے میں دھماکےکی شدید مذمت کرتے ہیں۔ تعلیم و تدریس حاصل کرنے والے طلباءپرحملہ کرنےوالوں کاانسانیت سے کوئی تعلق نہیں۔ ملک کو عدم استحکام سے دوچار کرنے والوں کے مذموم عزائم خاک میں ملائیں گے۔شہداء کے لواحقین سے دلی اظہار تعزیت اور زخمیوں کی جلد صحت یابی کی دعا کرتے ہیں۔
— Senator Shibli Faraz (@shiblifaraz) October 27, 2020
پشاور مدرسہ دھماکہ دل دہلا دینے والا واقع ہے۔بالخصوص بچوں کو ہونے والے نقصان نے انتہائی رنجیدہ کردیا ہے۔ جن ماؤں کی گودیں اجڑ گئیں،انکے دکھ کا تصور اور ازالہ ممکن نہیں!
اللہ تعالیٰ سے دعا ہے کہ لواحقین کو صبر عطا فرمائے اور اس سانحے میں زخمی ہونے والوں کوصحت یابی عطا فرمائے۔آمین— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) October 27, 2020
PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal said he was “very sorry to hear about the blast & casualties in Peshawar”. He said the “terrorists, who had been defeated, are again hitting us because Imran Khan has pitched security apparatus against the opposition instead of terrorists.”
“National Action Plan has been forgotten. Ministry of Interior is an extension of NAB.”
Very sorry to hear about the blast & casualties in Peshawar. Terrorists, who had been defeated, are again hitting us becuz IK has pitched security apparatus against the opposition instead of terrorists. National Action Plan has been forgotten. Min of Interor is extension of NAB.
— Ahsan Iqbal (@betterpakistan) October 27, 2020
