Rana Sanaullah says Peshawar blast was 'suicide attack'

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Monday said the Peshawar mosque blast was a ‘suicide attack’, ARY News reported.

Exclusively talking to ARY News, Rana Snaullah, while condemning the blast said as per the initial investigation report, the blast was a ‘suicide attack’.

He also feared a rise in the number of casualties and the added majority of the martyrs and the injured are policemen.

Rana Sanaullah said how a suicide bomber reached Mosque despite sharp security will be investigated but a present first aid to the injured is the government’s top priority. The minister also said ‘foreign’ involvement also cannot be ruled out in the suicide attack as a number of agencies of our neighbors are working against Pakistan.

Read more: Peshawar mosque blast: Death toll jumps to 18, over 70 injured

17 people were martyred while at least 90 others, including 15 police personnel, suffered injuries as a blast ripped through Police Lines mosque in Peshawar.

Security officials said the explosion took place at around 1:40pm as Zuhr prayers were being offered, resultantly roof of the mosque caved in.

The blast took place at the mosque where a large number of people had gathered for prayer, police official Sikandar Khan said. “A portion of the building had collapsed and several people are believed to be under it,” Khan added.