The Pakistan administration was investigating how the Peshawar mosque bomber was able to reach a secure area and if there was any insider help, The Express Tribune reported.
The toll from the suicide blast on Monday has crossed 100, with another 170 people injured. While the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) had initially claimed responsibility for the attack, there has been no official confirmation of the same.
Peshawar officials confirmed that the bomber stood in the front row at the time when 400 people were offering prayers. Peshawar Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Muhammad Ijaz Khan said "the bomber detonated his load at the moment hundreds of people had lined up for prayers."
The mosque is located inside a highly fortified compound in Peshawar that included the headquarters of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) police force and the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) offices. After the explosion, parts of the mosque collapsed, trapping many under the rubble.
The Express Tribune quoted Khan as saying, "The attacker appeared to have passed through several barricades manned by security forces to get into the "Red Zone" compound."
"An inquiry was underway into how the attacker breached the elite security cordon and whether there was any inside help," Khan said.
Peshawar's provincial health department declared an emergency and ordered all medical personnel to remain on duty.
Earlier, India had also extended condolences to the families of the victims of the deadly terror attack.
Taking to Twitter, MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi wrote, "India extends its deep condolences to the families of the victims of the terror attack in Peshawar yesterday. We strongly condemn this attack, which has taken the lives of so many people".
( With inputs from ANI )
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