In a tragic incident on Friday, a suicide bombing occurred during Friday prayers at the Darul Uloom Haqqania mosque in Akora Khattak, Nowshera district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The blast resulted in the deaths of four individuals, including Maulana Hamidul Haq, the head of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F), while several others sustained injuries.
According to Inspector General of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Zulfiqar Hamid, initial reports indicate that the explosion was indeed a suicide attack, specifically targeting Maulana Hamidul Haq. His son, Sani Haqqani, confirmed that hundreds of worshippers were present in the mosque at the time of the explosion.
Following the blast, police and rescue teams rushed to the scene to provide immediate assistance. The injured were quickly transported to nearby hospitals, where an emergency was declared in Nowshera hospitals to accommodate the influx of casualties.
The District Police Officer (DPO) of Nowshera stated that the blast occurred inside the mosque after Friday prayers, specifically in the front rows. Rescue 1122 reported that four ambulances and medical teams were dispatched to the location promptly to aid in the transfer of the wounded.
The Central Police Office in Peshawar confirmed that investigations are underway to determine the nature of the explosion. In the meantime, police have cordoned off the area and are actively gathering information regarding the incident.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi condemned the attack and requested a report on the incident. In his statement, he described the bombing at the Darul Uloom Haqqania mosque as part of a conspiracy against Islam and Pakistan, emphasizing the urgent need to rid the province of those who harbor terrorists.
