Muhammad Faheem

A year has passed since the suicide attack in the Jama Masjid of Koocha Risaldar near Qisa Khawani Bazar, Peshawar. But even today, the pain in the hearts of the family members and friends of all the victims remains fresh.

On that day, Irfana Jalal, who was staying at her house, opposite the Imamiya Jamia Mosque, kept watching the worshipers as usual, because there were a large number of worshipers in this mosque who were born in the hands of Irfana Jalal and were young today, but she did not know what was happening next.

It was the 4th of March, 2022 when an assailant opened fire on a police officer at the entrance of the mosque, entered the mosque at lightning speed, and blew himself up in the middle of the central courtyard. According to the police, 63 people were martyred while 196 were injured.

Remembering that horrific day, Irfana Jalal said, it was not just a bomb blast but an unending pain that she still feels in her heart because seeing the funerals of the children, she nurtured, was the most painful thing.

She said that today, a year has passed since the young girls became widows, but the children who are deprived of the compassion of their fathers still do not know who is the murderer of their fathers.

The victims of Imamiya Masjid Kocha Risaldar still complain that the number of martyrs is incorrect. They claim that 71 people were martyred and 240 injured in the attack.

Speaking to TNN, Secretary Coordination Imamia Jirga, Muzaffar Akhunzada said that three of his sons were martyred in that attack while there is no house left that didn’t receive a dead body.

He said it was an attack in which the most number of people lost their lives. He said that since 1985, Shiites in Peshawar have been attacked more than 2,000 times, but it is a pity that the investigation of even one attack could not be completed.

Anwar Ali Akhunzada, the brother of Muzaffar Akhunzada, was martyred by target killing, while the streets of Peshawar have witnessed many young men being victims of target killing, but, that one year was more painful.

He said that the then Chief Minister Mehmood Khan, Governor Shah Farman, and Corps Commander Faiz Hameed came to their house, soothed their wounds, and promised that a thorough investigation will be carried out, but even today, the families of the martyrs are waiting for that promise to be fulfilled.

Muzaffar Akhunzada said that no inquiry was made as to where the attacker came from, where he went, and which organization claimed responsibility.

He said that not a single SHO was transferred though such a terrible incident had occurred. Ironically, many victims were deprived of the Shuhada package and their families are still visiting the offices today.

How were the Shiites targeted in the past?

On January 17, 2008, on the night of the seventh Muharram, a young assailant blew himself up in the Imambargah of Mirza Qasim Baig in Mohalla Jhangi, killing 12 people and injuring 25 others.

Muharram Aman Committee and Imamia Jirga still insist that since 1985, no attack, explosion, or target killing has been traced, due to which these attacks are happening again and again.

According to the committee, until a judicial commission is established and those responsible are identified, these attacks will not stop, while the injured at Kocha Risaldar Mosque are still walking around with bullets and ball bearings in their bodies even after a year because they are not being treated properly. Neither were they given any assistance to date.

The Imamia Jirga still demands that an independent judicial commission should be established to bring out the facts behind it so that such incidents can be avoided in the future.

The Koocha Risaldar explosion is not the first incident, but before that, the Friday prayer of the Shia community has been targeted.

On 13th February 2015, on Friday, Peshawar’s private TV journalist Syed Shabir Shah along with his friend Raza Shagri reached the Hayatabad mosque to offer Friday prayers. Shabir was not willing but on his friend’s insistence, he went to the mosque.

According to Shabbir Shah, when they reached the mosque, there was no security, despite the worsening security situation, only 4 volunteers were guarding the mosque, and not a single police officer was visible.

Shabbir said, Zuhren (offering two prayers at the same time) was organized in the mosque. After praying Zuhr, when he bowed down for the last ‘rakat’ during Asr prayer, suddenly there was a loud explosion. Everyone thought that an explosive device has exploded outside the mosque, but the sound was still echoing when gunshots were heard. It was thought that the security outside was handling the matter.

He said that the prayer continued, then a loud explosion was heard on the roof of the mosque and the door and wall of the mosque shook. About 5 people entered the premises of the mosque from the back door and started shooting people, and the prayer broke up.

He says that there were more than 500 people in the mosque, 22 people were martyred, but miraculously, he came out alive.

After the attack on the Shia Jamia Masjid of Hayatabad, many citizens shunned offering friday prayers in the mosque, but many still kept going to the mosque to keep in touch with Allah.

This was not the first incident, but on 21 June 2013, a suicide bomber killed 15 people while 27 were injured in another Shia Jamia Masjid and Madrasa Arif Hussaini of Peshawar.

There are 14 Shia mosques in Peshawar, including Hayatabad, Sadar, Arif Hussain Madrasa Chamkani, Masjid Imam Ali Ibn Abi Talib Gulbahar, Ganj, Marwi ha, Koocha Risaldar, Gulbahar Neher, wadpaga and others, 4 of them have been directly targeted while suicide attacks have taken place in Hayatabad Mosque, Arif Hussain Madrasah, Koocga Risaldar, and Masjid Imam Ali Ibn Abi Talib.

Apart from the mosques and places of worship, the Shia community of Peshawar is constantly under attack.

All institutions including the Imamia Jirga demand that a commission be formed for this blast, taking it as a test case, because the day these reports will surface, everything will become crystal clear, and these orphans will also know who snatched their fathers’ lives, the widows, widowed at a young age, will also know who took away the joy of wifehood from their lives.

And even the old parents bereft of their sons will come to terms, knowing those who deprived them of support in their old age.