Suicide bombing at Islamabad Imambargah kills 32; Over 160 injured; President, PM condemn blast
An elderly man tries to comfort his younger companion shattered by the death of loved ones in a suicide attack at an Imambargah in Islamabad. Photo: Reuters
ISLAMABAD:
A devastating suicide bombing tore through a packed Imambargah in Islamabad’s Tarlai area on Friday, leaving at least 32 worshippers martyred and more than 160 injured, as the federal capital was shaken to its core by one of the deadliest terror attacks it has seen in recent years, police and administration officials said.
The attacker detonated explosives as worshippers were offering Friday prayers at Imambargah Khadijah al-Kubra on the city’s outskirts. The force of the blast, heard hundreds of metres away, sent shockwaves through nearby neighbourhoods, unleashing panic and confusion as people fled for safety.
Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Irfan Nawaz Memon confirmed that 32 people were killed and 169 others injured, several of them critically. Among the martyrs was a cousin of Inspector General of Islamabad Police Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi.
Two police officials, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said the attacker was stopped at the gate of the imambargah before he detonated the bomb. State broadcaster PTV News reported that the bomber has been identified.
In a post on social media platform X, PTV News said the attacker had travelled to Afghanistan multiple times and had arrived from there some time ago, claiming he had received training across the border. Official verification of these claims was not immediately available.
Videos circulating on social media showed worshippers dead or injured inside the imambargah, with debris and shattered glass scattered across the carpeted prayer hall. Some casualties were also seen outside on the lawns as survivors cried out for help.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. Similar assaults in the past have been attributed to the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP).
However, some police sources blamed ‘Fitna al-Khawarij’.
In its post, PTV News also said that terrorist groups present in Afghanistan pose a broader regional security threat and claimed a nexus between Afghanistan and India behind attacks in Pakistan.
Police, Rescue 1122, fire brigade personnel and other emergency responders reached the site shortly after the blast and launched rescue and relief operations.
The injured were shifted to various hospitals in the capital, including the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Polyclinic Hospital and Capital Development Authority (CDA) Hospital, where a state of emergency was declared.
Health Minister Mustafa Kamal said the government was utilising all available resources to ensure the best possible treatment for the victims, adding that no negligence would be tolerated as he was personally overseeing the response.
He condemned the attack and those targeting innocent civilians as enemies of humanity.
Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, accompanied by State Minister Talal Chaudhry and the Islamabad police chief, visited the imambargah and offered prayers.
The prayers were led by the same imam who had been conducting the service at the time of the suicide bombing and were attended by a large number of local residents.
Speaking after the prayers, Naqvi said, “This attack was not targeted at any one particular community; it was an assault on Pakistan’s unity and on humanity.”
“The objective of terrorists is to spread fear and division. Pakistan’s response will be unity and the full enforcement of the state’s writ. Those responsible will soon be brought to justice.”
President, PM
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the blast, expressing deep grief and sorrow over the loss of precious lives.
In their separate messages, the president and the prime minister offered heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved families and prayed for the elevation of the ranks of those martyred in the incident.
President Zardari said that targeting innocent people was a crime against humanity and reaffirmed that the entire nation stood shoulder to shoulder with the affected families in this hour of grief.
PM Shehbaz, while speaking with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, directed that the incident be thoroughly investigated and those responsible be identified and brought to justice immediately.
He also instructed the health minister to ensure immediate medical treatment for the injured and asked him to personally monitor the relief efforts.
He stressed that no one would be allowed to create chaos and unrest in the country.
