'Suicide attack' in a mosque in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa claims one life

In Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a police official has been killed in what is being described as a "suicide blast". The blast, as per Dawn.com, happened in a mosque in the Jamrud area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Khyber. An associate of the suicide bomber has been detained by the police.

Talking to the Pakistan-based publication, Peshawar Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Ashfaq Anwar identified Additional Station House Officer (SHO) Adnan Afridi as the officer killed.

How it all went down

Anwar revealed that Afridi was part of the police party that was chasing the alleged suicide bomber and said that the officer was 'martyred' in the blast.

Talking to Dawn.com, Anwar stated that the police party had reached the location of the blast after receiving information about suspicious people being present in the area. Upon encountering the police, the "suspicious" people attempted to run and subsequently entered a mosquewhere they set off the bomb.

"They entered the mosque during the chase where Additional SHO Adnan Afridi was martyred," he said, adding that the "mosque was not the target of attack and an investigation was underway to determine the target."

"One of the associates of the suicide bomber has been arrested," he said.

Strict action against miscreants

Barrister Feroze Jamal Shah Kakakhel, the caretaker provincial minister for information, condemned the blast and expressed deep regret over the police official's loss.

He offered condolences to the martyr's family and assured them that the government stood with them during their time of grief.

Kakakhel emphasised that the sacrifices made by the police force would not be in vain and said that "the miscreants and enemies of peace will be dealt with strictly".

Rise of terrorist activities in Pakistan

This unfortunate incident comes in the wake of increased terrorist activities in KP and Balochistan, particularly after the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) ended its ceasefire with the government in November of the previous year.

As per a tweet by Pakistan Strategic Forum's STRATCOM Bureau, "Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province has in the last 12 months experienced 665 terrorist attacks, a massive 500 per cent increase as compared to the previous year’s figures."

A recent report by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies has also revealed a steady and alarming rise in terror and suicide attacks, leading to the loss of 389 lives across the country during the first half of the current year.

(With inputs from agencies)

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