At least 16 people, including five policemen, were martyred and over 50 other injured when an explosion ripped through a mosque inside the Kohat Police Lines, followed by an exchange of fire.
Videos from the site of the bombing showed civilians digging through rubble and helping the injured after part of a building’s wall collapsed due to the explosion.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Inspector General Zulfiqar Hameed took notice of the incident and sought a report from the Kohat regional police officer.
An initial police statement indicated that an explosive-laden vehicle had been rammed into the Old Police Lines. However, authorities were yet to establish the exact nature of the explosion by the filing of this report.
In a subsequent statement, Hameed said a suicide bomber had detonated himself near the Special Branch building, adding that an exchange of fire was underway with Fitna al Khawarij terrorists.
Hameed directed officials to ensure the injured received the best available medical treatment.
“The blood of the martyrs will not go in vain; terrorists and their facilitators will meet an exemplary, dire fate,” he was quoted as saying.
Meanwhile, KP Chief Minister (CM) Sohail Afridi also called for a detailed report and described the targeting of innocent citizens as “deeply regrettable and unacceptable”.
CM Afridi instructed authorities to ensure immediate treatment of those injured, adding that the nation’s morale could not be dampened by cowardly acts of terrorism.
KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi also condemned the explosion and prayed for the recovery of the injured. He expressed solidarity with the security forces in their efforts to eradicate terrorism.
It may be noted that Kohat Police Lines have also previously been targeted in a deadly bombing. In 2010, a remote-controlled bomb exploded inside a police colony located just behind the Police Lines, killing 20 people, mostly family members of policemen. Over 90 others were injured in the attack.
