Peshawar, March 15: Four people, including a cleric, were injured in a blast at a seminary cum mosque in Pakistan's restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Saturday, less than 24 hours after a bomb exploded during Friday prayers at another mosque in the province. The blast occurred at a religious seminary in Urmur Bala village in Peshawar district, police said. Mufti Munir Shakir sustained minor injuries after being hit on the left foot. Three others also sustained injuries in the blast. A police contingent rushed to the blast site and cordoned off the entire area. Bomb Blast at Mosque in Pakistan: Senior Cleric Among 4 Worshippers Injured in Bomb Explosion During Friday Prayers at Mosque in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

On Friday, an improvised explosive device (IED) exploded at Maulana Abdul Aziz Mosque in South Waziristan, injuring Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) district chief Maulana Abdullah Nadeem among others. Mosques, particularly during Friday prayers when large congregations gather, have been targeted in the province in the past as well. Last month, six people, including JUI-S leader Maulana Hamidul Haq Haqqani, were killed and 15 injured when a suicide blast ripped through the Darul Uloom Haqqania seminary in the province. Pakistan Shocker: Angry After Being Removed From WhatsApp Group, Man Shoots Dead Admin in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan army on Friday said that 18 of the 26 hostages killed by Balochistan Liberation Army militants, who ambushed a train in Balochistan a few days ago, were army and paramilitary soldiers. Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lieutenant Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, during a press conference with Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti, said 26 hostages were killed by the terrorists before the start of the army operation. “The 26 hostages include 18 army and paramilitary soldiers, three other government officials and five civilians,” he said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)