At least seven people were killed and more than 70 injured in an explosion at a seminary in Pakistan’s Peshawar city on Tuesday morning, Dawn reported. The blast took place around 8.30 am local time (9 am IST), according to BBC.
Mohammad Asim, spokesperson of the local Lady Reading Hospital, confirmed the toll. He said that the injured were being provided with immediate medical attention and that an emergency has been declared at the hospital, adding that four of the seven deceased were students between the ages of 20 to 25.
“The blast took place in a seminary during a Quran class,” Waqar Azim, a senior police official, said. “Someone took a bag inside the seminary.”
A local resident Abdul Rahim told Reuters that the school is largely for adult students and many were studying when the blast happened. Rahim’s cousin was among the wounded.
Senior Superintendent of Police (Operations) Mansoor Aman told Dawn that an improvised explosive device was used in the explosion. “Five kg of explosives were used in the blast.” No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Minister Taimur Saleem Jhagra visited the site of the blast.
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed sorrow and wished for speedy recovery of the injured.
Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) chief and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also condemned the blast and said that those who targeted the madrasa “cannot be Muslims”.
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