Hawzah News Agency- Five of the dead were police officers, and local sources said several of the wounded were in critical condition, according to a report.
Car bomb struck as worshippers gathered for Friday prayers
Zulfiqar Hameed, inspector-general of police for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, said a vehicle packed with explosives detonated near the police lines, with the force of the blast causing widespread damage to the mosque and surrounding buildings.
Part of the mosque structure was destroyed and one of its walls collapsed. Rescue workers and emergency teams rushed to the scene and began search-and-rescue operations amid the rubble.
The wounded and the bodies of the victims were transferred to the central hospital in Kohat for treatment and identification. Emergency officials said search operations were continuing for people possibly trapped under the debris.
Gunmen attempted to storm police compound
At the time of the explosion, at least two armed men attempted to enter the police compound, triggering an exchange of fire with police forces.
Local authorities said security forces were continuing operations to neutralize the attackers, and initial reports said one of the assailants was killed in the clash.
No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack, though some local sources raised the possibility of involvement by Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, which has previously been accused of attacks on security forces and civilians in Pakistan.
The attack comes amid a recent spike in clashes between security forces and armed groups across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. On Thursday, six security personnel were killed when a roadside bomb struck a convoy in Hangu district. Ten suspected militants were later reported killed in military operations in North Waziristan and Hangu.
Shia Ulema Council chief condemns 'cowardly' attack
Hojatoleslam Sayyid Sajid Ali Naqvi, head of the Shia Ulema Council of Pakistan, issued a statement strongly condemning the bombing near the mosque in Kohat and offered his condolences to the families of the victims.
Denouncing the terrorist act, he said targeting innocent civilians near a mosque was a cowardly, deplorable, and strongly condemned act — and such a crime must not be ignored.
Naqvi also demanded immediate and full medical treatment for the dozens wounded, stressing that no negligence should occur in their treatment and that all necessary medical facilities and equipment must be made available to them.
Unity urged against insecurity
Referring to efforts by agitators to destabilize the country, Naqvi said these elements seek to disrupt the atmosphere of peace and security in Pakistan. Preserving unity and solidarity in society and neutralizing their plots is therefore essential, he said.
He called on the responsible authorities to fully clarify all dimensions and facts of the explosion, identify and arrest the perpetrators, and refer them to the judiciary for legal action and justice.
Targeting worshippers a 'cowardly crime'
Hojatoleslam Besharat Hussain Zahedi, director of the Shia Ulema Council of Pakistan's Qom office, also strongly condemned the bloody explosion near the police lines and mosque in Kohat, describing the targeting of innocent citizens, worshippers, and security forces as a cowardly and criminal act.
Expressing deep sorrow over the loss of life, he said evil elements seek to destabilize the country's stability and calm by spreading insecurity and fear. In such a sensitive situation, all sects and segments of society must stand against insecurity with unity, brotherhood, and solidarity, and thwart the enemies' sinister plots, he said.
Counterterrorism a 'collective responsibility'
Zahedi stressed that confronting terrorism and insecurity is a collective responsibility, and all people must play a role in ensuring the country's peace, security, and stability through unity and cooperation.
He called on the government and relevant authorities to swiftly provide appropriate and advanced medical services to the wounded, clarify all dimensions and facts of the incident for the public, and identify, arrest, and punish the perpetrators in accordance with the law.
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