Tears and agony: Pakistan mourns after deadly blast at mosque claims more than 80 lives
A cash-strapped nation, Pakistan is now struggling to pick up the pieces after a blast ripped through a heavily guarded mosque in Peshawar on Monday. The explosion took place when hundreds had gathered for prayers
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An explosion inside a mosque in Pakistan’s northern city of Peshawar killed at least 89 people and injured around 150 more, according to a government official, who added that many of the casualties were police personnel who had gathered for the Zuhr or afternoon prayers. AFP
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Al Jazeera quoted Peshawar police commander Ijaz Khan as saying that the mosque is located within a compound that also houses the provincial police force’s headquarters and a counterterrorism unit. AFP
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As per Dawn News TV report, the explosion took place around 1:40 pm on Monday. One side of the mosque collapsed due to the impact of the explosion. AFP
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“Terrorists want to create fear by targeting those who perform the duty of defending Pakistan,” Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said in a statement. According to BBC, after an earlier claim by one of its commanders, the Tehreek-e-Taliban-e-Pakistan (TTP) – separate from the Afghan Taliban but with a similar Islamist ideology – denied involvement. AFP
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Rescue workers carry the remains of the blast victims from the debris of a damaged mosque. Overnight, at least nine bodies were recovered as rescuers sifted through the rubble of the mosque’s blown-out wall and collapsed roof for survivors. AFP
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The injured are shifted to the Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar. A spokesman of the hospital, Mohammad Asim, said they had received over 90 injured people. AFP
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Pakistan’s security officials gather to attend funeral prayers for police officers who were killed in a mosque blast inside the police headquarters in Peshawar. AFP
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At least 20 of the police officers were later buried after a prayer ceremony, with coffins lined up in rows and draped in the Pakistani flag. They were laid to rest with a guard of honour. AFP
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Provinces around the country announced they were on high alert after the blast, with checkpoints ramped up and extra security forces deployed, while in the capital Islamabad snipers were posted on buildings and at city entrance points. AFP
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