NOWSHERA: At least four people were killed, including Maulana Hamidul Haq Haqqani, emir of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Sami (JUI-S), and 12 others injured in a suicide blast during Friday prayers at the Darul Uloom Haqqania mosque in Akora Khattak, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, police confirmed on Friday.
Moulana Hamidul Haq was the son of late Moulana Samiul Haq of JUI(S).
The explosion occurred in the front row of the mosque as worshippers gathered for the last Friday prayer before Ramadan. The mosque is located within the compound of the sprawling Darul Uloom Haqqania seminary, one of the country’s largest religious institutions with over 4,000 students.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General of Police (IGP) Zulfiqar Hameed told Geo News that initial reports suggest the attack was targeted and carried out by a suicide bomber.
Emergency services were placed on high alert at Peshawar’s Lady Reading Hospital (LRH), where several of the injured were shifted for treatment.
Police teams, forensic units, and investigation officers have cordoned off the area, with a search operation underway.
The seminary was crowded at the time of the attack, as students were set to go on academic break for Ramadan, starting tomorrow.
The blast raises concerns over security in the region, particularly as the holy month begins. Investigations into the attack are ongoing.
