At least 140 people wounded in the twin bombings are fighting for their lives on hospital beds, officials and eyewitnesses say.
Banned outfit Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed the responsibility for the attacks, with its spokesman Sajjad Mohmand calling media offices from an undisclosed location and vowing further reprisal strikes in retaliation for the death of the al Qaeda leader.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Senior Minister Bashir Ahmed Bilour said such “cowardly attacks” by the terrorists would not force his government to change the course of action against terrorists.
The bombers blew themselves up soon after dawn as the newly-trained cadets were on their way out of the main gate of the training centre on a 10-day leave. “A bomber, riding a motorbike, first struck the recruits getting on minibuses parked just outside the gate and when other FC people came to their help, a donkey cart laden with explosives was detonated,” said FC Inspector General Akbar Hoti.
According to Shabqadar DSP Jehanzeb Khan, at least 80 people were killed in the twin bombings. Of the 140 injured, 40 were stated to be in critical condition at the Lady Reading Hospital where a state of emergency was declared after the attacks.
Officials of the Bomb Disposal Squad said 16 kilogrammes of explosive material was used in the two explosions.
Security had been beefed up at sensitive installations across the country after bin Laden’s killing, but the Taliban were still able to find a soft target.
Charsadda District Police Officer Nisar Khan said the recruits were loading luggage atop the minibuses when the bombers struck. Nearby shops were damaged and some 10 vehicles wrecked.
Meanwhile, President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani strongly condemned the bombings and offered their condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in what they called the “dastardly terrorist acts”.
Later on Friday, the FC was allowing the newly-trained soldiers to leave in a group of 15 for their residences to avoid further loss. Questions are being asked now as to how the bombers came to know about the departure time of the new cadets and why the minibuses were not parked inside the training facility.
