Explosion took place in this madrasa in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, 16 people died, many injured

Pakistan: A bomb exploded in a mosque in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, northwestern Pakistan on Friday ahead of the holy month of Ramadan, killing 16 worshippers while dozens were injured. Police chief Abdul Rashid said the blast took place in Akkora Khattak district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

According to reports, at least 16 people were killed and many injured in an explosion at Madrasa Darul Uloom Haqqaniya located in Akora Khattak district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. Emergency response team and 122 has reached the spot and law enforcement officials have started investigating the incident.

Explosion occurred during namaz

District police chief Abdul Rashid said authorities were investigating the matter. Meanwhile, Rescue 1122 spokesperson Bilal Faizi confirmed that several people were injured and were taken to hospital. According to reports, the blast took place during Friday prayers in the main hall of the madrasa, following which authorities declared an emergency in Nowshera.

Maulana Haqqani was the target – Police

KP IG Zulfiqar Hameed said that according to initial investigation, it appears to be a suicide blast. Some people have been injured and 16 people have died. KP IG said that it seems that Maulana Hamidul Haq Haqqani was the target.

Who is Maulana Haqqani?

Maulana Haqqani, the head of the JUI-S, is the elder son of the late Maulana Samiul Haq. His achievements include being a political figure and Islamic academician, having served in the National Assembly from November 2002 to 2007. After his father's tragic death, he assumed the roles of vice-chancellor at Jamia Darul Uloon Haqqaniya and president of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (SAMI). According to the institution's website, the madrasa was founded in September 1947 by Islamic scholar Maulana Abdul Haq Haqqani. 

What did PM Shahbaz Sharif say?

PM Shahbaz Sharif Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif strongly condemned the incident and prayed for the speedy recovery of Maulana Haq and other casualties. The Prime Minister's Office said PM Shahbaz Sharif directed the officials to provide excellent medical care to the injured persons and requested a detailed incident report. 

The Prime Minister said that such cowardly and heinous acts of terrorism cannot weaken our resolve against terrorism. We are determined to completely eradicate all forms of terrorism from the country.