CNN
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A deadly explosion at a mosque in Pakistan’s northwestern city of Peshawar on Monday was not a suicide attack, officials said.
Peshawar Deputy Commissioner Shafiullah Khan said at least 31 people were killed and 125 injured in the blast.
A rescue operation is underway at the mosque, which is located in the city’s police compound and is mostly staffed by law enforcers.
No claim of responsibility has yet been made in connection with the attack that took place in the middle of afternoon prayers.
Peshawar Police Chief Muhammad Aijaz Khan told CNN that the explosion at the mosque in Police Lines was “probably a terrorist attack,” echoing Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
In a statement, Sharif said, “The brutal killing of Muslims who worship before Allah is against the teachings of the Koran,” and added, “Targeting the House of Allah is proof that the attackers have nothing to do with Islam.”
The prime minister further said, “Terrorists want to create fear by targeting those who are doing their duty to defend Pakistan.”
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Sharif went on to say that “the entire nation and institutions are united to eliminate terrorism” and that a “comprehensive strategy” is in the works to restore law and order in Peshawar, the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Pakistan’s former leader Imran Khan, whose Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party controls the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa state government, condemned the blast, saying on Twitter that it was “necessary to improve our intelligence collection and properly equip our police force to combat the growing threat.” terrorism”