ISLAMABAD, FEBRUARY 6: At least 31 people were killed and 169 others injured when a suicide bomber struck a Shia mosque in Pakistan’s capital during Friday prayers, in one of the deadliest attacks in Islamabad in recent months, officials said.
The powerful explosion occurred at the Khadijatul Kubra mosque-cum-imambargah in the Tarlai area of Islamabad, sending shockwaves through the locality and triggering panic among worshippers and residents. Police said the attacker was intercepted at the gate of the imambargah, but managed to detonate himself before he could be neutralized.
A district administration spokesperson confirmed the casualty figures in a post on X, adding that several of the injured were in critical condition. Earlier, Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Irfan Nawaz Memon had said that more than 80 people were wounded and at least 15 bodies were shifted to different hospitals in the immediate aftermath of the blast.
No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack. However, police sources said preliminary investigations suggest that the bomber was a foreign national and had links with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, which authorities often refer to as Fitna al Khwaraji.
Rescue teams, police, and personnel from Rescue 1122 rushed to the site and launched large-scale rescue and evacuation operations. Army troops and Rangers cordoned off the area, while security forces began combing operations in and around Tarlai to rule out the presence of any additional threats.
An emergency was declared in major hospitals of the capital, including the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), to ensure immediate treatment of the injured. Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry visited PIMS and met with victims undergoing treatment.
The attack comes less than three months after a suicide bombing outside a district and sessions court building in Islamabad killed 12 people, underlining the persistent security challenges facing the capital.
The timing of the attack is particularly sensitive, as Shavkat Mirziyoyev is currently on a two-day state visit to Pakistan, having arrived on Thursday.
Pakistan’s leadership strongly condemned the attack. Asif Ali Zardari described the targeting of worshippers as a “crime against humanity,” while Shehbaz Sharif also denounced the bombing and expressed condolences to the families of the victims.
Senate Opposition Leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas said that targeting places of worship amounts to an assault on humanity, religion and social values, and cannot be tolerated under any circumstances.
Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry termed the bombing a “cowardly act” and said such attacks would not weaken the resolve of the nation. He called for unity and solidarity with law enforcement agencies in the fight against terrorism. Chaudhry hails from Islamabad and belongs to the area where the blast occurred.
Police officials said forensic teams are examining evidence from the site to determine the exact nature and mechanics of the explosion, though initial assessments indicate it was a suicide attack.
The deadly incident has once again raised serious concerns about security in Pakistan’s capital, particularly around religious sites, and has intensified calls for stronger counter-terror measures to protect civilians and prevent further attacks.