Khyber Pakhtunkhwa [Pakistan], March 15 (ANI): A bomb blast inside a mosque in South Waziristan during Friday prayers injured Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) district chief Abdullah Nadeem and three others, local police confirmed, as per a report by the Express Tribune.

The explosion occurred at Maulana Abdul Aziz Mosque on Azam Warsak Bypass Road, disrupting congregational prayers and causing panic among worshippers.

According to Police Officer Asif Bahader, the attack was carried out using an improvised explosive device (IED) that had been placed in the mosque's pulpit. The device detonated at approximately 1:45 pm, injuring multiple people. 'In the explosion, Abdullah Nadeem, the district chief of JUI, was seriously wounded,' he stated. 'Three others, also belonging to the JUI, have sustained minor injuries.'

A police statement identified the other injured individuals as Rehmanullah, Mullah Noor, and Shah Behran. DPO Bahader confirmed that all the wounded were immediately transported to the District Headquarters Hospital for medical treatment. Law enforcement officials arrived at the scene soon after the blast, securing the area and initiating an investigation to gather evidence, reported the Express Tribune.

District Police Spokesman Habib Islam stated that no group had yet claimed responsibility for the bombing. He also noted that Maulana Abdullah had previously received threats. 'Maulana Abdullah had been receiving death threats for quite some time,' he revealed. 'He was also attacked about seven or eight months ago.'

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi strongly condemned the attack, describing it as an act of cowardice. He denounced the targeting of a mosque during the holy month of Ramazan, calling it a grave violation of its sanctity. 'The sanctity of the mosque was violated during the holy month of Ramazan. The beasts who carried out this attack deserve no concessions,' he said. He also expressed prayers for the swift recovery of all those injured.

JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman also condemned the bombing, emphasising the seriousness of the attack on both a place of worship and during a sacred period, the Express Tribune reported.

He urged the government and security agencies to take the public into confidence regarding the worsening security situation, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

He noted that despite repeated discussions in Parliament, the deteriorating law and order situation in these regions had not been adequately addressed. (ANI)