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NOWSHERA, Feb 28 (APP):Maulana Hamidul Haq, administrator of Darul Uloom Haqqania along with seven people killed and 18 others sustained injuries in a suicide blast that targeted the historic seminary’s mosque here Friday.
DPO Abdul Rashid told media that it was a suicide blast and its target was the Maulana Hamidul Haq of JUI Samiul Haq group.
He said blast occurred in the front row soon after Friday prayers as worshipers were leaving the congregation at the Darul Uloom Haqqania mosque in Akora Khattak, located about 60 kilometres (35 miles) east of Peshawar.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General Police (IGP) Zulfiqar Hameed told media that Maulana Hamid-ul-Haq Haqqani, the son of Maulana Sami-ul-Haq Haqqani, was the target of the attack.
Maulana Hamid, the vice administrator of Darul Uloom Haqqania and emir of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Sami (JUI-S), succumbed to his injuries as he was undergoing emergency medical treatment, the IGP said.
Hameed said that police teams were present at the site of the explosion, and a search operation was also underway in the surroundings. Forensics and investigation teams dispatched to the incident site, and the district police officer was also present there, the IGP said.
The mosque is located inside the compound of the madrassa, whose students were set to go on leave, as it marked the final day of their academic year.The sprawling campus is home to roughly 4,000 students who are fed, clothed and educated for free.
Security arrangements at the mosque include the presence of several policemen and a police mobile van, while seminary workers monitor visitors.
The administration and medical staff of Peshawar’s Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) were directed to remain prepared for receiving casualties.
The hospital spokesperson said a high alert and emergency had been declared at the medical facility to deal with any situation.
The latest reports suggest that the blast took place near the gate of the mosque from where Maulana Hamid was returning to his residence.
The bodies of four deceased have been kept at the Qazi Hussain Ahmed Medical Complex, while the other injured are receiving treatment. Meanwhile, Hamid’s body is at Nowshera CMH.
Separately, a powerful explosion rocked Sama bazaar in the Mamozai area of Upper Orakzai on Friday, killing one person and injuring several four others.
In a statement the Kohat deputy commissioner said police and rescue teams swiftly arrived at the scene, launching relief operations and securing the area. The injured were immediately shifted to THQ Hospital for medical treatment.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur strongly condemned the explosion, calling it a tragic and deplorable act.
He directed authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into all aspects of the incident and submit a comprehensive report.The chief minister also instructed officials to ensure the best possible medical care for the injured.
“Targeting innocent people in a place of worship is an inhumane act,” Gandapur said, adding that no words were enough to condemn such an attack. He emphasized that all available resources should be utilized to bring the perpetrators to justice.
In a statement, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) spokesperson Aslam Ghauri, condemning the suicide blast, said that the incident at Akora Khattak was deeply tragic.
He urged party workers and volunteers to extend full cooperation in relief efforts. Ghauri also appealed to JUI-F members to donate as much blood as possible for the injured.