A huge bomb blast has been reported in the Darool Uloom Jamia Haqqania Seminary. Reports of five deaths have already come in. The seminary is located in Akkora Khattak district of the disturbed Pakistani province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Afghan Taliban influence is very visible a force in Pakistan’s border provinces and the Pakistani army has been operating in these areas. The blast has been engineered during the prayer timings on Friday. The obvious analysis points to the objective of ensuring maximum casualties. No group has as yet taken the responsibility for the blast. The holy Muslim month of Ramadan in a day or two, subject to the sighting of the moon.
Apparently, the blast was executed by a suicide bomber, who was blown to pieces as he initiated the blast. In addition to those killed, over a dozen people are reportedly injured. Hospital sources have said that most casualties brought are critical. As such, the death toll may rise. Senior religious leader Maulana Hamidul Haq Haqqani is reportedly among the critically injured as per Zulfiqar Hameed, Inspector General, Police, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The Darool Uloom Jamia Haqqania seminary is well known for its affiliation with Afghan Taliban and Tahrik-a-Taliban Pakistan. The seminary has huge premises with 1000s of resident pupils who receive free education, board and lodging.
Keeping in view the affiliations of the seminary the attack could be the handiwork of Islamis State of Khorasan Provinces, or its local offshoot Daesh.
Brig SK Chatterji (Retd)
