- Suicide bomber targeted mosque at Taliban-linked seminary in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province
- Killed 6 including cleric Hamidul Haq, son of Taliban fatherSamiul Haq
- Attack occurred 48 hours before Ramadan; follows 2023 Peshawar mosque bombing (100+ casualties)
- No immediate claims; TTP suspected despite historical denial of mosque attacks
A devastating suicide bombing rocked northwestern Pakistan’s religious landscape Friday as worshippers prepared for Ramadan. The attack at Jamia Haqqania seminary – known for training Afghan Taliban members – killed influential cleric Hamidul Haq and five others, with over 20 injured. Witnesses described chaos as explosives detonated near mosque exits during post-prayer departures.
Security failures dominated discussions despite Haq’s personal guards and police presence. This marks the second major mosque attack in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa since 2023’s Peshawar tragedy that claimed triple-digit lives. Analysts note a strategic shift toward targeting religious-political figures versus security forces.
The Haqqania seminary’s Taliban ties complicate investigations. While TTP denies responsibility, experts cite increased cross-border coordination since Afghanistan’s 2021 Taliban takeover. Over 45% of Pakistan’s terror incidents in 2023 originated near the Afghan border per Institute for Conflict Management data.
Separately, Quetta’s roadside bombing injured 10, highlighting Balochistan’s ongoing insurgency. These dual fronts strain Pakistan’s counterterrorism resources ahead of Ramadan – a period seeing 22% spikes in attacks since 2020 according to Pak Institute for Peace Studies.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the seminary attack but faces criticism over security gaps. The JUI party, already targeted in 2021’s Mastung bombing, demands urgent parliamentary review of national counterterrorism strategies.
