Four martyred, several injured as blast rips through Hangu mosque

HANGU: At least four people were martyred while five sustained injuries during an explosion inside a mosque located in the Doaba police station in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Hangu on Friday, ARY News reported quoting police.

The incident took place within the parameters of Police Station Doaba during Friday sermon, said police.

“The roof of the mosque caved in due to the impact of the explosion,” the police official stated, adding that nearly 30 to 40 people were reported to be stuck under the rubble.

“Two suicide bombers are involved in the attack,” said a police official, adding that one bomber targeted the gate of the police station, and the other blew himself up inside the mosque,” said police officials.

The total number of casualties is yet to be ascertained as the rescue and relief operation continues.

The KP government has imposed an emergency in hospitals across Hangu and Kohat, DPO Ahmed confirmed.

Meanwhile, in a statement, KP caretaker Chief Minister Azam Khan summoned a report on the incident from the police and instructed authorities to expedite the rescue operation.

This was the second blast reported in Pakistan today as at least 40 people were killed while more than 80 were wounded in a blast that took place in Balochistan’s Mastung district on Friday.

According to the district administration, Mastung’s Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Nawaz Gashkori was among the deceased.

Police said the explosion was a “suicide blast” and that the bomber exploded himself next to DSP Gishkori’s car.