KARACHI: A powerful suicide blast ripped through a mosque in Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province on Friday, killing at least 54 persons and injuring over 100 others, the police said.
Hours later, another blast at a mosque in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Hangu city killed at least four persons and injured 12 others.
In Balochistan, the explosion occurred near Madina Mosque on Al Falah Road in the Mastung district when people had gathered in large numbers to mark Eid Milad-Un-Nabi, said Mohammad Javed Lehri, City station house officer. “It was a suicide blast,” Lehri said.
Bordering Afghanistan and Iran, Balochistan is Pakistan’s largest province and has frequently been hit by terror groups, including the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) or the Pakistani Taliban, and the Islamic State group. Mastung’s DSP Nawaz Gishkori, who was on duty for the rally, was found dead among others. Lehri said the wounded were shifted to a medical facility even as an emergency had been imposed in the hospitals. The TTP has denied involvement in Friday’s blast, saying in a statement that such an attack was against its policies. Meanwhile, a few hours later, at least four persons were killed and 12 others injured in the suicide blast that ripped through a mosque close to the Doaba police station in Hangu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province during the Friday prayers.
There were 30 to 40 worshippers in the mosque at the time of the blast. According to the police, five terrorists had entered the Doaba police station, but were immediately engaged by law enforcement forces in a firing. While one terrorist was killed in the firing, the other blew himself near the mosque building causing its roof to collapse.
Three terrorists fled from the spot, the police said.