Two years have passed since the catastrophic suicide bombing in a mosque in Peshawar’s Police Lines which claimed the lives of over 80 policemen and injured over 150.
A bomb ripped through the mosque on January 20, 2023 when there were approximately 300-400 police officials gathered for prayers.
The attack had been described as a ‘security lapse’ and had sent ripples through the police leadership. Several officers on duty were suspended while senior officials including the inspector general had been removed from their posts. A joint investigation team had also been formed to investigate the attack.
A suicide bomber had entered the area disguised as a police official. Police had later claimed that the bomber had been trained in Afghanistan and was known by the alias ‘Qari’. A CCTV footage of the bomber entering the police lines in uniform had also been revealed.
A police constable, identified as Muhammad Wali, was found to have facilitated the attack. The official was arrested in November 2024 and remains in jail to this day. Wali was allegedly involved in several other terrorist incidents.
The outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan had claimed responsibility for the attack but later retracted the statement. In November 2024, IG Akhtar Hayat Khan Gandapur had told a press conference that the attack had been carried out on the orders of Jamat-ul-Ahrar, a TTP faction.
