At least three people were killed, while 20 were injured after a blast ripped thorugh the Madressah Haqqania in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Nowshera district.
According to the report, Rescue 1122 officials have reached the site of the incident and police have begun investigating the incident.
Rescue 1122 spokesperson Bilal Faizi confirmed to Dawn.com, “At least 20 people have been injured and have been taken to hospital.”
The blast occurred during Friday prayers in the main hall of the madressah, per Dawn News TV. An emergency has been declared in Nowshera’s hospitals, according to Dawn’s KP Bureau Chief, Ali Akbar.
KP’s Inspector General, Zulfiqar Hameed, told Samaa TV that, “It appears to be a suicide blast, as per initial investigations. Some are injured and some are among the martyrs.”
“It appears that Maulana Hamidul Haq Haqqani was the target,” the KP IG told Samaa TV.
Maulana Haqqani, the elder son of the assassinated Maulana Samiul Haq, is the chief of JUI-S. He is a politician and Islamic scholar, served as a member of the National Assembly from November 2002 to 2007. He also served as the vice chancellor of the Jamia Darul Uloon Haqqania and chairman of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Sami) after his father’s assassination.
According to the madressah’s website, it was founded by Maulana Abdul Haq Haqqani, an Islamic scholar, in September 1947, according to the madrassa’s website.
The seminary has faced controversy in the past as its students have been accused of involvement in the murder of forme prime minister Benazir Bhutto. The madrassa has, however, denied having any connection with the suspects.
Some of the alumni of the seminary include Taliban leaders Amir Khan Muttaqi, Abdul Latif Mansoor, Maulvi Ahmad Jan, Mullah Jalaludin Haqani, Maulvi Qalamudin, Arifullah Arif and Mullah Khairullah Khairkhwa, according to the BBC.
Last month, Adviser to KP Chief Minister on Information Barrister Dr Saif had paid a visit to the seminary and was given a detailed briefing on construction projects underway in the madressah including the Shariat Hall, a modern academic block among others, according to the state-owned Associated Press of Pakistan (APP).
Condemnations pour in
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the incident and prayed for the recovery of Maulana Haq and others who were injured, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office.
He directed that the best medical facilities be administered to the injured and sought a report of the incident.
“Such cowardly and heinous acts of terrorism cannot dampen our resolve against terrorism,” the PM said. “[We are] resolute to completely eradicate all forms of terrorism from the country.”
This is a developing story that is being updated as the situation evolves. Initial reports in the media can sometimes be inaccurate. We will strive to ensure timeliness and accuracy by relying on credible sources, such as concerned, qualified authorities and our staff reporters.
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