Peshawar: The death toll in Sunday’s twin suicide bombings at Peshawar’s oldest church has gone up to 81, Geo News reported. At least 145 people were injured in the attacks, when two suicide bombers blew themselves up outside the church during Sunday morning prayers in Qissa Khwani Bazaar .
Police and security officials cordoned off the scene of crime, said to be the deadliest attack on the Christian community in Pakistan.
The dead and injured, some of them seriously, were rushed to different hospitals of Peshawar including Lady Reading Hospital.
The twin suicide bombings took place towards end of a service at All Saints Church in Peshawar.
Those killed include 34 women and seven children, officials said.
Tehrik Taliban Pakistan has claimed responsibility for the twin suicide bombings. TTP said it has set up a new group called Junood ul-Hifsa to kill foreigners to avenge the US drone strikes in the northwest.
“We carried out the suicide bombings at Peshawar church and will continue to strike foreigners and non-Muslims until drone attacks stop,” Ahmad Marwat, a spokesman for TTP told a foreign news agency over phone.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif condemned the attack, saying it violated the tenets of Islam.
Pope Francis described the attack as “a bad choice of hatred and war”.
An eyewitness Nazir Khan, a school teacher said at least 400 worshippers were greeting each other after the service when there was a huge blast.
“The huge blast threw me on the floor and as soon as I regained my senses, a second blast took place and I saw wounded people everywhere,” Khan said.
Grieving relatives blocked the main Grand Trunk Road with bodies of the victims to protest against the killings. Christians in Karachi, Lahore, Multan and other cities also staged protest rallies to condemn the attacks.
In Karachi, angry protesters clashed with police when they tried to clear a road in Isa Nagri, a Christian neighbourhood.
Pakistan’s Ulema Council has described the attack as “shameful”.