Pakistan mosque blast death toll rises to 87

The death toll in the Pakistan mosque bombing has risen to at least 87 people, a day after the bomber targeted policemen in the province of Peshawar. 

The mosque is within a high-security police headquarters area and a probe is underway into how the bomber got in.

Monday’s attack has been widely condemned – it’s one of the country’s worst in recent years.

The Pakistani Taliban has denied involvement. 

“Terrorists want to create fear by targeting those who perform the duty of defending Pakistan,” said PM Shehbaz Sharif.

Search and rescue teams are desperately searching through the rubble to try to save people they believe are buried underneath. 

“The rescue operation has been going on for more than 18 hours,” Mohammad Bilal Faizi said.

“The bodies of 20 more people have been recovered and it’s feared that some bodies may still be under the rubble.”

The mosque is situated in one of the most heavily controlled areas of the city, with between 300 and 400 officers believed to have been in the area at the time.