A devastating Kohat suicide blast struck worshippers gathered for Friday prayers close to the Police Lines area, killing 16 people, among them several police officers, and wounding dozens more.
Officials say the explosion happened while congregants were performing Friday prayers inside a mosque adjacent to the Police Lines compound. The force of the blast tore a crater into the ground outside the mosque, badly damaged its outer wall, and brought down a section of the boundary structure.
How the Kohat Police Lines Attack Unfolded
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General Zulfiqar Hameed told that the assault began when a vehicle packed with explosives rammed into the gate of the old Police Lines building. The impact triggered the blast, followed by an exchange of gunfire. During the shooting, a second suicide bomber detonated explosives near the Special Branch building, compounding the destruction.
The Central Police Office in Peshawar confirmed that one attacker was killed in an armed confrontation with security forces during the operation. According to police figures, the Kohat suicide blast and the subsequent violence claimed the lives of five police personnel and 11 civilians.
Emergency Declared at DHQ Hospital
Following the attack, injured victims, including wounded police officers, were rushed to the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital in Kohat. Medical Superintendent Tahir Ali Shah confirmed that the hospital received 15 bodies along with more than 50 injured patients, prompting authorities to declare a formal emergency at the facility.
Police shut down the Kohat-Hanko Road to all traffic in the wake of the bombing, and reinforcements were dispatched to secure the area around the Police Lines. Rescue officials reported that neighbouring buildings also sustained damage from the blast, and search and relief operations continued at the site well after the explosion.
Chief Minister Orders Report on Kohat Attack
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi took immediate notice of the Kohat Police Lines attack and directed police officials to compile a comprehensive report examining every aspect of the incident. He stressed that acts of terrorism, however cowardly, cannot break the resolve of the nation.
Condemning the bombing in strong terms, Afridi called the attack deeply tragic and unacceptable. He instructed authorities to mobilize every available resource to provide immediate medical treatment to the injured, ensure hospitals have the necessary supplies and facilities on hand, and arrange for the transfer of critically wounded patients to other medical centres if required.
As investigations into the Kohat suicide blast continue, security officials are working to determine the full scale of the network behind the coordinated attack on the Police Lines compound.
