Islamabad (Web Desk): At least 31 worshippers were martyred and 169 others sustained injuries after a suicide attacker detonated himself inside an imambargah during Friday prayers in Islamabad’s Tarlai area, officials confirmed.
The blast took place at Imambargah Khadijah al-Kubra, where the attacker attempted to enter the premises.
On of the eyewitnesses said he was intercepted at the entrance, after which the assailants opened fire and the bomber then blew himself up, triggering panic and chaos among those present for prayers.
Emergency responders immediately rushed to the scene and began shifting the deceased and injured to nearby hospitals. Security forces, including Pakistan Army troops and Rangers, sealed off the area as law enforcement agencies launched a probe into the attack.
Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Irfan Nawaz Memon said an emergency was declared at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Polyclinic Hospital and the CDA Hospital to handle the influx of casualties.
PIMS administration confirmed that at least 18 bodies and more than 78 injured were brought to the facility.
Meanwhile, officials at Rawalpindi’s Benazir Bhutto Hospital said four injured victims were shifted there, one of whom later succumbed to injuries during treatment.
No militant group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. However, police sources said initial findings linked the incident to terrorists associated with the “Fitna al-Khawarij.”
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif claimed that the attacker’s travel history showed repeated visits to Afghanistan and alleged the involvement of India and Afghanistan in the incident.
He said preliminary investigations revealed that the terrorist had travelled to Afghanistan several times, adding that after what he described as a humiliating defeat last May, India was now resorting to proxy warfare instead of direct confrontation. The minister vowed that the state would respond to the attack with full force.
At a press conference, Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry said the suicide bomber had been identified. He clarified that while the attacker was not an Afghan national, he had visited Afghanistan multiple times.
The minister said terrorists were deliberately targeting soft targets and disclosed that a cousin of the Islamabad inspector general was among those martyred in the blast.
Police sources said the bomber’s identity was verified through records of the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA). According to the sources, the attacker was a 32-year-old man from Peshawar.
Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal announced the imposition of an emergency across all federally run hospitals in the capital.
He said emergency services at PIMS and the Polyclinic were fully operational and confirmed that the leaves of doctors, nurses and paramedical staff had been cancelled.
Kamal said all available resources were being used to ensure proper treatment of the injured, termed the attack “highly deplorable,” and described those targeting innocent civilians as enemies of humanity. He warned that any negligence in the medical care of victims would not be tolerated.
Following the tragedy, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz cancelled all Basant-related activities scheduled for the following day.
Expressing solidarity with the affected families, the Sindh government also cancelled a musical programme planned for the Cultural Night, provincial Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon said. He added that a dinner in honour of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association would be held without music and in a subdued manner.
President Asif Ali Zardari expressed profound grief over the loss of lives, offered condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for their strength. He said attacking innocent people was a crime against humanity and reaffirmed that the nation stood united with the victims’ families.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also strongly condemned the suicide bombing, expressing deep sorrow over the martyrdoms and extending sympathies to the affected families. In a conversation with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, he directed that a thorough investigation be conducted and those responsible be identified and brought to justice without delay.
The prime minister also instructed the health minister to ensure immediate medical care for the injured and to personally oversee relief efforts, stressing that no one would be allowed to disrupt peace and stability in the country.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar denounced the attack, saying the targeting of worshippers and civilians was a heinous crime against humanity and a blatant violation of Islamic teachings.
Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, also expressed deep sorrow, extended condolences to the families of the martyrs and prayed for the swift recovery of the injured.
He strongly condemned the “brutal and cowardly” attack, saying such an incident in the federal capital raised serious questions about the performance of the administration and the protection of human lives.
He added that attacking places of worship was an assault on humanity, religion and social values and could not be tolerated.
Federal Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry condemned the explosion in the strongest terms, saying he was deeply grieved by the loss of precious lives.
Former finance minister Miftah Ismail also termed the incident “absolutely horrendous” and questioned how anyone could carry out an attack during Friday prayers in a mosque.
Several other political and religious leaders likewise denounced the bombing, describing it as an attack on humanity, peace and religious sanctity.
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar strongly denounced the attack, calling it a cowardly act and expressing profound sorrow over the loss of precious lives.
He said that striking people while they are engaged in worship was a shameful and deeply inhuman crime that cannot be justified under any circumstances.
The minister stated that PM Shehbaz has issued clear instructions for those involved in the incident to be identified and punished in accordance with the law. Emphasising the government’s stance, Tarar said the state remains determined to ensure the safety of citizens and the protection of their property, including mosques and imambargahs, adding that operations against troublemakers will continue with a strict zero-tolerance approach.