PESHAWAR: Azam Khan, caretaker chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, dismissed rumours that upcoming elections in the province may be postponed due to Monday’s bombing of a mosque in Peshawar.
At a press conference in Peshawar, Khan said the attack, which claimed the lives of nearly 100 people and injured over 200 others, has nothing to do with the polls and that such incidents have been occurring in the province for the past 40 years, largely due to the volatile security situation in Afghanistan.
Khan affirmed that the election for the provincial parliament will proceed as scheduled, dismissing rumours of a postponement fueled by some pro-government journalists and media groups.
Acknowledging the prevalence of terrorism in the southern regions of Dera Ismail Khan, Lakki Marwat, and Tank, he urged the public to maintain their resilience, as such unfortunate incidents have been a persistent issue.
He emphasised the need for the administration and police to work together to combat terrorism and encouraged the public to remain steadfast.
Meanwhile, the chief of provincial police, Moazzam Jah Ansari, announced the joint investigation team is reviewing footage and tracking the facilitators behind the attack.
According to current and former officials, the bombing of the mosque, which is in a walled compound, inside a high-security zone with other government buildings, reflects “security lapses”.
“Yes, it was a security lapse,” said Ghulam Ali, the governor of the province.
Kashif Aftab Abbasi, a senior officer in Peshawar, concurred. “There was a security lapse and the inspector-general of the police has set up an inquiry committee, which will look into all aspects of the bombing,” he said.
“Action will be taken against those whose negligence” caused the attack.
Meanwhile, in a post on Twitter, a commander for the Afghanistan-based Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) group, Sarbakaf Mohmand, claimed responsibility for one of the deadliest attacks on security forces in recent months.
However, hours later, the group denied responsibility, with a spokesperson, Mohammad Khurasani, distancing the militant group from the attack. Khurasani said it was not its policy to target mosques or other religious sites, adding that those taking part in such acts could face punitive action under its policy.
His statement did not address why a TTP commander had claimed responsibility for the bombing.
— With AP
