In Peshawar, the bodies of 9 more people have been recovered from the rubble of the Police Lines Mosque, after which the number of martyrs in the blast has increased to 72 while 157 people have been injured.
The martyrs include DSP Arab Nawaz, 5 sub-inspectors, the presiding imam of the mosque and a woman resident of the adjacent police quarter.
According to the rescue officials, there is still a fear of many people being buried under the debris of the mosque, rescue operation is going on with heavy machinery, the rescue teams of Pakistan Army are also engaged in rescue operations.
CCPO Peshawar Muhammad Ejaz Khan says that the explosion seems to be a suicide attack, the head of the alleged suicide bomber has also been found, the nature of the explosion will be known only after the rescue operation.
Muhammad Ejaz Khan further said that the attacker may have already been in the police lines, it is also possible that the attacker came sitting in an official vehicle.
IG Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Muazzam Jah Ansari says that there are more than 2 thousand policemen and 8 different departments in Peshawar Police Line, a large number of people and civilians have to come and go every day.
He further said that there are family quarters in the police line, construction work was also going on here, laborers were coming and going daily, CCTV is being reviewed, final opinion will be formed after investigation.
According to reports, banned organization Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan has accepted the responsibility of the blast.
On the other hand, the funeral prayers of 27 martyrs of the Peshawar blast have been performed. In the funeral prayer, Corps Commander Peshawar, IG Police and Commandant FC participated in the funeral prayer.