Peshawar: Social media users in Pakistan have expressed their grief, anger and shock with a number of prominent politicians turning up to take photos with coffins of those who died in one of the deadliest suicide attacks at a mosque in Peshawar. According to the latest reports, the death toll from the suicide attack has crossed 100 after rescue workers retrieved more bodies from the debris of the devastated mosque inside a major police facility.


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Pakistan’s Twitter fraternity has ridiculed their local politicians for playing politics over the dead bodies of the victims and doing little to wipe out terrorism from the country. Expressing anger, several Twitter users accused the Pakistani establishment of creating a “Frankenstein Monster” which was now eating up its creator. 


The Pakistani investigators are trying to find out how the bomber sneaked into the high-security zone in Pakistan's northwestern Peshawar city. According to them, the suicide bomber who was present in the front row during the Zuhr (afternoon) prayers on Monday blew himself up, causing the roof to collapse on the worshippers.


Policemen Among Victims


Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) spokesperson Mohammad Asim said that 100 bodies had been brought to the medical facility. Asim said 53 injured were currently being treated while seven had been admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). He said that most of the injured were out of danger. Most of the victims were policemen. At least a deputy superintendent of police, five sub-inspectors and the mosque's prayer leader Maulana Sahibzada Noorul Amin were among the dead.


The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), known as the Pakistani Taliban, claimed responsibility for the suicide attack, saying it was part of a revenge attack for slain TTP commander Umar Khalid Khurasani who was killed in Afghanistan in August last.


According to the Police Control Room Peshawar, more than two hundred injured were brought to the Lady Reading hospital. Capital City Police Officer, Peshawar (CCPO) Ejaz Khan told Geo TV that the head of the suspected suicide bomber was recovered from the blast site.


Suicide Bomber Identified


The suspected bomber was identified as 37-year-old Mohammed Ayaz son of Salim Khan from Mohmand agency. "It is possible that the attacker was already present in the Police Lines before the blast and that he may have used an official vehicle [to enter]," he said. "(The) CTD is investigating the case," he said.


High-Level Probe Into Peshawar Attack


A high-level investigation committee has been set up to look into the security lapses. A preliminary investigation report of the blast has been sent to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The bomber entered the highly secured mosque inside police lines where four layers of security were in place. Provincial Police chief Moazzam Jah Ansari said they are investigating the blast and how the bomber sneaked into the highly fortified mosque in the Police Lines area.


He expressed apprehensions that the bomber might have been residing in the police lines before the blast as there are family quarters too inside the police lines. Ansari admitted grave security lapses by the police and ordered a comprehensive investigation into the blast.


Ansari suspected that about 10-12 kg of explosives were used in the blast. Explosives in parts shifted to police lines as construction activities are in progress these days in police lines, he suggested.


President Arif Alvi, PM Sharif, and several world leaders have strongly condemned the attack. "I strongly condemn the heinous & cowardly blast that has taken place in Peshawar mosque. The perpetrators will be found and punished. Condolences to families who have lost an innocent member & prayers for the injured. Terrorism must be buried forever," Alvi tweeted.


Pakistan Taliban


The TTP, set up as an umbrella group of several militant outfits in 2007, called off a ceasefire with the federal government and ordered its militants to stage terrorist attacks across the country. The group, which is believed to be close to al-Qaeda, has been blamed for several deadly attacks across Pakistan, including an attack on army headquarters in 2009, assaults on military bases, and the 2008 bombing of the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad.


In 2014, the Pakistani Taliban stormed the Army Public School (APS) in the northwestern city of Peshawar, killing at least 150 people, including 131 students. The attack sent shockwaves across the world and was widely condemned.


Here are some of those social media reactions-