In Pakistan's Peshawar, 89 people were killed in a suicide bombing at a mosque

Overnight, rescuers sifted through the rubble of the mosque's collapsed wall and roof, recovering at least nine bodies.

In Pakistan's Peshawar, 89 people were killed in a suicide bombing at a mosque

Bodies were still being pulled from the wreckage of a mosque blast at a police headquarters in northwestern Pakistan on Tuesday, which killed more than 80 people and injured 150 more.

The attack occurred during afternoon prayers on Monday in Peshawar, the provincial capital, near areas along the Afghan border where militancy has been steadily increasing.

Overnight, at least nine bodies were recovered as rescuers searched for survivors among the rubble of the mosque's blown-out wall and collapsed roof.

I was buried under the debris for seven hours with a dead body on top of me. I had given up all hope of survival "On Tuesday, Wajahat Ali, a 23-year-old police constable, told AFP from the hospital.

According to Muhammad Asim Khan, a spokesman for Peshawar's main hospital, the death toll had risen to 89 as more bodies arrived from the scene. According to officials, another 150 people were injured.

According to city police chief Muhammad Ijaz Khan, more than 90% of the victims were police officers, with between 300 and 400 of them gathered in the compound's mosque for prayers.

According to Bilal Ahmad Faizi, a representative for the rescue organisation, "this morning we are going to take down the remaining piece of the collapsed roof so that we may retrieve additional bodies."

According to Shahid Ali, a police officer, the explosion happened seconds after the imam began praying.

I noticed black smoke rising into the sky. "I ran out to save my life," said the 47-year-old.

Following a prayer ceremony, at least 20 of the police officers were buried, with coffins lined up in rows and draped in the Pakistani flag.

A police official told AFP that they were laid to rest with a guard of honour.

"Terrorists want to instill fear by targeting those who defend Pakistan," Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said in a statement.

- Increased militancy.

The security situation in Pakistan, which was once plagued by bombings until a major military crackdown nearly a decade ago largely restored order, has deteriorated since the Afghan Taliban's return to Kabul.

Analysts believe militants have gained confidence as a result of Islamabad's actions. Security forces, including police officers, have increasingly been the target of low-intensity attacks, mostly claimed by the Pakistani Taliban but also by the local chapter of the Islamic State, whose numbers were boosted by prison breaks inside Afghanistan in 2021.

The Pakistani Taliban, which is distinct from the Afghan Taliban but shares an Islamist ideology, denied responsibility for the latest blast in a statement.

Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan has attempted to rebrand itself as a less brutal organisation, claiming to avoid targeting places of worship.

The Peshawar police headquarters is in one of the city's most tightly controlled areas, housing intelligence and counter-terrorism bureaus as well as the regional secretariat.

The severe security breach occurred on the day that United Arab Emirates President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan was scheduled to visit Islamabad, but the trip was cancelled at the last minute due to inclement weather.

Pakistan is also preparing to host an International Monetary Fund delegation on Tuesday as it works to unlock a critical bailout loan to avoid a default.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday condemned the blast as "abhorrent", and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken extended his condolences for the "horrific attack".