A powerful blast at a mosque in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, during Friday prayers killed at least five people and injured 20 others ahead of Ramadan. The explosion targeted Hamidul Haq Haqqani, leader of the Jamiat Ulema Islam (JUI) and caretaker of a madrassa. Authorities suspect it was a suicide bombing. The madrassa, known for its ties to jihadist teachings, has produced notable Taliban figures. Emergency services evacuated the injured to hospitals, declaring emergencies in Nowshera and Peshawar. The incident has drawn condemnation from local officials, and calls for blood donations for the victims have been made by the JUI.
Peshawar:
A devastating explosion resulted in the deaths of at least five individuals and injuries to 20 more during Friday prayers at a mosque in the turbulent Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of northwest Pakistan, just ahead of the holy month of Ramazan, according to police reports.
The explosion took the life of Hamidul Haq Haqqani, leader of his faction of the Jamiat Ulema Islam (JUI) and caretaker of the Madrassa-e-Haqqania, situated in Akora Khattak town, as confirmed by Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah.
Born in 1968, Hamidul Haq succeeded his father, Maulana Sami ul Haq, as the leader of his JUI (Sami Group) following his father’s passing.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General of Police, Zulfiqar Hameed, mentioned that the blast is believed to be a suicide attack, targeting Hamidul Haq. “We had assigned six security personnel to protect Hamidul Haq,” he stated.
DPO of Nowshera district, Abdur Rasheed, reported that the explosion took place during ‘Jumma’ prayers.
The Darul Uloom Haqqania madrassa follows the Hanafi Deobandi tradition of Sunni Islam. It was established by Maulana Abdul Haq, modeled after the Darul Uloom Deoband seminary in India, where he was an instructor.
It has earned the nickname “University of Jihad” due to its teaching methodologies and the career paths of its graduates.
A number of prominent Taliban leaders, including former chief Akhtar Mansour, have studied at this institution.
Emergency teams quickly arrived at the scene, recovering the deceased and transporting the injured to hospitals. Emergency services were activated in both Nowshera and Peshawar hospitals.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and Governor Faisal Karim Kundi have denounced the suicide bombing.
Leaders of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam have called for blood donations for those injured.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)