Peshawar blast: PM Shehbaz appeals PML-N workers to donate blood

More than 46 people were killed and nearly 150 injured after a blast rocked a mosque inside Pakistan's Peshawar Police headquarters in Peshawar.

Islamabad, Jan 30: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday directed Pakistan Muslim League (N) workers to donate blood to save the lives of those injured in the Peshawar suicide blast.

Taking to Twitter, Sharif wrote, "I direct the Muslim League (N) workers to donate blood to save the lives of those injured in the suicide attack, especially the people with 'O-Negative' blood, students and party workers are appealed to immediately. Reach Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar and contribute to saving precious human lives".

Earlier, Prime Minister Sharif strongly condemned the attack, saying the attackers behind the incident "have nothing to do with Islam". "Terrorists want to create fear by targeting those who perform the duty of defending Pakistan," he said and vowed that the sacrifices of the blast victims will not go in vain.

"The entire nation is standing united against the menace of terrorism." He also said that a comprehensive strategy will be adopted to counter the deteriorating law and order situation in restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the federal government will help provinces in increasing their anti-terrorism capacity.

More than 46 people were killed and nearly 150 injured after a blast rocked a mosque inside Pakistan's Peshawar Police headquarters in Peshawar.

According to news agency AP, more than 300 worshippers were praying at the mosque when the bomber set off his explosive vest. Most of the casualties were police officers.

A brother of the slain commander of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Umar Khalid Khurasani claimed that the suicide blast was part of the revenge attack for his brother who was killed last August in Afghanistan.

The outlawed TTP, known as the Pakistani Taliban, has carried out a number of suicide attacks in the past, targeting security personnel.

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also condemned the attack, saying "terrorist incidents before the local and general elections were meaningful". Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Haji Ghulam Ali condemned the blast and urged the people to donate blood for the injured, saying that it would be a "huge favour for the police".

The injured were shifted to the Lady Reading Hospital, officials said. Hospital sources said 13 of those injured were in a critical condition. An emergency has been declared in the hospitals of Peshawar.