PESHAWAR: At least 43 people‚ including women and children‚ were killed and over 100 injured in a powerful bomb blast outside a Khan Razziq police station near Qissa Khawani Bazaar in Peshawar on Sunday.
Police, rescue teams and area people thronged to the blast site to rescue the victims soon after a powerful explosion occurred, damaging several shops, a police station and a mosque in Peshawar’s historic Qissa Khwani Bazaar situated in city’s densely populated area.
The blast was so powerful that it destroyed three buildings located in the market and damaged several vehicles.
Fire erupted after the blast and dense smoke engulfed the site, hampering the rescue work. Fire fighters with two fire tenders extinguished the blaze as police and rescue teams shifted the injured to nearby Lady Reading Hospital where emergency was declared.
Officials said the explosive material was planted into a car parked near Khan Raziq police station, an apparent target of the terrorists.
All Saint’s Church in Peshawar’s Kohati gate area is also few meters from the blast site. Prayer for last Sunday’s 86 victims was underway in the church when the blast rocked the area, sowing fright and panic in the vicinity and the church attendees.
President Mamnoon Hussain, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, PTI chief Imran Khan, MQM chief Altaf Hussain and leaders of political parties condemned the heinous attack.
ANP leader and MNA Ghulam Ahmed Bilour also reached the spot and expressed deep sorrow over the casualties.
The blast came when the PML-N led government and political parties were weighing options of negotiations with Taliban in a bid to bring peace to the devastated region.
Taliban have put up pre-conditions for talks: end to US missile strikes, withdrawal of Pakistan Army troops from the frontier region and release of Taliban prisoners.
Chairman PTI Imran Khan strongly condemns the Peshawar Blast outside the police station.
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Peshawar blast on Sunday
Peshawar blast outside police station
Peshawar Blast
Number of peoples injured in Peshawar blast
29 killed, 70 injured in Peshawar blast outside a police station
Peshawar blast on 29 September
31 killed, over 70 injured in Peshawar blast outside a police station
33 killed, over 70 injured in Qissa Khawani Bazaar blast in Peshawar
Qissa Khawani Bazaar blast in Peshawar
43 killed, over 100 injured in Qissa Khawani Bazaar blast in Peshawar