E-Paper
Blast at Pakistan mosque injures Islamist leader, three others
Terror attacks have been frequenting in Pakistan's border regions with Afghanistan in recent months
A blast targeting a mosque in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's South Waziristan during Friday prayers injured an Islamist party leader and three others, including children, police said.
The attack occurred at 1:45 pm (local time) at Maulana Abdul Aziz Mosque on Azam Warsak Bypass Road, with the device planted in the mosque's pulpit. No group has claimed responsibility for the explosion so far.
The IED blast appeared to target Abdullah Nadeem, a local leader of the Jamiat Ulema Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) political party, Reuters reported.
Asif Bahadar, a district police chief in South Waziristan, said Nadeem was hospitalised with serious injuries. Two children were also among the injured.
Also read | Pakistan train hijack: BLA militants say 50 hostages killed in attack
District Police Officer Asif Bahader told Dawn that all injured individuals had been taken to the District Headquarters Hospital for immediate medical assistance and an investigation is underway.
Attacks have been escalating in Pakistan's border regions with Afghanistan in recent months, the report said.
In February, a suicide attacker triggered a blast at Darul Uloom Haqqania seminary in KP's Nowshera district, killing six worshippers during Friday prayers. The institution has served as a historic training ground for the Afghan Taliban.
Earlier this week, on Tuesday, the Jaffar Express train was attacked in the Bolan district and over 300 passengers were hijacked and held hostage by militants from the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), who demanded the release of their jailed members.
Also read | Pakistan train hijack: What is the Baloch Liberation Army?
A video of the attack showed the train getting hit by an explosion and coming to a halt as armed militants positioned in the surrounding mountains aimed at the train. Moments later, passengers are seen getting paraded by the militants who take them under their custody.
Pakistani security forces launched a full-scale operation despite threats to assassinate the passengers. Rescue efforts were also complicated as armed militants wearing vests loaded with explosives were also stationed near the captives.
Security forces rescued all 346 hostages as over 30 militants and 28 soldiers were killed during the operation. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) militants said that they killed 50 more hostages who were hijacked from the Peshawar-bound train.
