Pakistan, Sep 18, KNT: At least 15 people were killed and more than 50 injured in a blast near a mosque in the Old Police Lines area of Kohat in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Friday, according to Pakistani officials and hospital authorities.

The explosion occurred during Friday prayers, with police saying a crater was created outside the mosque. The blast severely damaged the outer portion of the mosque and caused a wall to collapse, while several police personnel were among those injured.

District Headquarters Hospital Medical Superintendent Tahir Ali Shah told Pakistani media that 15 bodies and more than 50 injured people had been brought to the hospital following the explosion. The hospital administration declared an emergency as casualties continued to arrive.

Rescue 1122 spokesperson Bilal Ahmad Faizi said rescue teams were dispatched to the site after receiving information about the blast. More than 30 injured people had been shifted to hospital during the initial rescue operation, while 14 ambulances and more than 45 rescue personnel were involved in relief work.

Additional security personnel were deployed around the Police Lines area following the explosion. The Kohat-Hangu Road was also closed to traffic as security and rescue operations continued.

Pakistani authorities said firing was also reported in the area after the explosion. The exact circumstances surrounding the blast and the nature of the attack were still being investigated.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General Zulfiqar Hameed said, according to Pakistani reporting, that an explosives-laden vehicle was rammed into the gate of the Old Police Lines before the explosion and subsequent firing. Authorities had not announced any confirmed claim of responsibility for the attack at the time of reporting.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the explosion and expressed grief over the loss of life. He directed the authorities to ensure the best possible treatment for those injured and sought a report on the nature and cause of the incident.

Rescue and security operations remained underway, with authorities continuing to assess the damage and circumstances of the blast.

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