NORTH WAZIRISTAN:
A bomb explosion inside a mosque during Friday prayers in South Waziristan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa left Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) district chief Abdullah Nadeem and three others injured, according to police officials.
Police Officer Asif Bahader reported that an improvised explosive device (IED) had been planted in the pulpit of Maulana Abdul Aziz Mosque, located on Azam Warsak Bypass Road. The device detonated at 1:45 pm, causing significant damage.
“Abdullah Nadeem, the district chief of JUI, sustained serious injuries in the explosion,” Bahader stated. “Three other JUI members also suffered minor injuries.”
The injured individuals were identified as Rehmanullah, Mullah Noor, and Shah Behran. All were promptly transported to the District Headquarters Hospital for medical treatment.
Police teams arrived at the scene shortly after the blast to collect evidence and initiate an investigation. District Police Spokesman Habib Islam confirmed that no group had yet claimed responsibility for the attack.
Islam also revealed that Maulana Abdullah Nadeem had been receiving death threats for some time and had survived a previous attack approximately seven to eight months ago.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi strongly condemned the attack, labeling it a “cowardly act of the enemy.” He expressed outrage over the violation of the mosque’s sanctity during the holy month of Ramadan.
“The perpetrators of this heinous act deserve no mercy,” Naqvi stated. He also offered prayers for the swift recovery of Maulana Abdullah and the other injured victims.
JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman also denounced the blast, calling it a severe violation of the sanctity of both Ramadan and the mosque. He expressed deep sorrow over the incident and urged the government and security institutions to address the worsening law and order situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
Rehman criticized the lack of attention given to the escalating unrest in these regions during parliamentary discussions, despite the gravity of the situation. He emphasized the need for transparency and decisive action to restore peace.
The JUI-F leader also prayed for the speedy recovery of Maulana Abdullah Nadeem and the other victims injured in the attack.
The incident has raised concerns about the security situation in the region, with calls for increased measures to prevent such attacks in the future.
