Peshawar, February 28 – A devastating blast ripped through a mosque in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province during Friday prayers, leaving at least five people dead and 20 others injured. The attack occurred in Nowshera district, ahead of the holy month of Ramazan, police officials confirmed.
Among the victims was Hamidul Haq Haqqani, chief of his own faction of the Jamiat Ulema Islam (JUI) and caretaker of the Madrassa-e-Haqqania in Akora Khattak town. Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah verified his death, describing it as a major loss to the religious and political community.
Suicide Attack Suspected
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General of Police Zulfiqar Hameed stated that the explosion appeared to be a suicide bombing, with Hamidul Haq as the primary target. "We had provided six security guards to Hamidul Haq," he noted, indicating the high-profile nature of the victim.The explosion took place during the Jumma (Friday) prayers, confirmed Nowshera District Police Officer Abdur Rasheed. Emergency response teams quickly reached the site, evacuating the injured and shifting them to hospitals in both Nowshera and Peshawar, where an emergency has been declared.
Madrassa with a Controversial Legacy
The Darul Uloom Haqqania madrassa, which Hamidul Haq oversaw, is a well-known religious seminary propagating the Hanafi Deobandi school of Sunni Islam. Founded by Maulana Abdul Haq, it is modeled after the Darul Uloom Deoband seminary in India.The institution has often been referred to as the "University of Jihad" due to its curriculum and the prominent militant figures among its alumni. Several Taliban leaders, including former chief Akhtar Mansour, were educated there.
Reactions and Investigations
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and Governor Faisal Karim Kundi have strongly condemned the attack. Meanwhile, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam leaders have made an urgent appeal for blood donations for the injured.Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident, as the region remains on high alert amid security concerns ahead of Ramazan. The latest attack underscores the ongoing threats posed by extremist elements in Pakistan’s volatile northwest.