ISLAMABAD, Mar 05 ( Alliance News): Federal Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid has said that those involved in the Peshawar blast have been identified and their arrest will be made soon.
Informing about the investigation into the suicide blast at a mosque in Kocha Risaldar in Peshawar yesterday, the Home Minister said in his video message that the accused involved in the incident would be arrested in two to three days.
In a message released on Twitter, he praised the law enforcement agencies and said that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police and investigative agencies have reached the bottom of the situation by identifying the accused. On this occasion, Sheikh Rashid also strongly condemned the incident.
The death toll rose to 62 meanwhile, a spokesman for Lady Reading Hospital said that the death toll in the blast at Shia mosque in Kocha Risaldar Chowk in Peshawar has risen to 62, with five more seriously injured who lost their lives during treatment. ۔
The spokesman said that 57 people were killed and 37 others were injured in the blast and a total of 194 people were injured in the incident.
He said that 5 more people have lost their lives during treatment since yesterday, bringing the total number of casualties in the attack to 62.
A spokeswoman for Lady Reading Hospital said the condition of five of the injured, who were in the ICU, was critical.
He said that another of the injured has been discharged after receiving medical treatment.
The dead included a 9-year-old boy from Kohat, two cousins and their uncle, two Zakirs Mazhar Ali and Mujahid Ali.
Meanwhile, funeral prayers were offered for 18 people who were martyred in Kocha Risaldar mosque blast.
Collective funeral prayers were offered at Kohati Gate in Peshawar, which was attended by a large number of citizens.
Funeral prayers of other persons killed in the incident will be offered tomorrow.
It may be recalled that a suicide bomber blew himself up during Friday prayers at Jama Masjid in Kocha Risaldar area of Qissa Khawani Bazaar in Peshawar yesterday. According to initial reports, more than 56 people were killed and 194 injured in the incident.
Officials called the attack a suicide attack and initially said two assailants were involved, but later CCTV footage showed an assailant in a black shalwar kameez shot dead in the city. He was seen walking and waving a pistol in the mosque of Qissa Khawani Bazaar.
Inspector General (IG) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Moazzam Ja Ansari while talking to media said that police were present at the spot at the time of the attack and two security personnel were deployed outside the place of worship.
He said that one constable was martyred on the spot while another policeman was in critical condition.
He said that first a pistol was fired and then a suicide attack was carried out. The terrorist was dressed in black clothes while 5 to 6 kg explosives were used in the blast.
The IG Khyber Pakhtunkhwa said there was no advance notice of the blast, while CCTV footage showed a terrorist.