• President calls attack ‘crime against humanity’; PM orders probe
• Dar, Balochistan and KP CMs, NA speaker condemn heinous incident
• Pakistan Ulema Council terms it ‘anti-Islam’
• Islamabad bar announces day of mourning
• Protests erupt in different cities; key roads blocked
KARACHI: Condemnations poured in on Friday after a suicide bombing at Imambargah Khadijah-tul-Kubra in Islamabad’s Tarlai area during Friday prayers, which authorities said killed at least 31 people and injured 169.
President Asif Ali Zardari expressed grief over the attack and offered condolences to the families of those who lost their lives, according to a statement shared by the PPP on X.
“Targeting innocent civilians is a crime against humanity,” he said, and directed that all possible medical facilities be provided to the injured.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also condemned the blast and expressed sympathy with the bereaved.
In a meeting with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, he directed that the investigation be completed and those responsible identified.
He also ordered that the injured be provided the best possible medical treatment and said the health minister would monitor the situation. “No one will be allowed to spread chaos and unrest in the country,” he said, according to an official statement.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also condemned the “cowardly suicide attack” on worshippers.
He said targeting places of worship and civilians was a “heinous crime against humanity” and a violation of Islamic principles. “Pakistan stands united against terrorism in all its forms,” he said, adding that those responsible would be brought to account.
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti also condemned the attack, calling it the worst form of terrorism and a crime against humanity.
He expressed solidarity with the affected families and prayed for the recovery of the injured, stressing that the entire nation was united against terrorist activities and stood with security forces.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi also condemned the blast, stressing that an attack on a place of worship was a heinous crime against humanity.
He emphasised that targeting worshippers through a suicide attack reflected extreme brutality and intolerance, which had no place in any religion or society.
National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq expressed grief over the loss of lives, extended heartfelt condolences to the families of the martyrs and prayed for the swift recovery of the injured.
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar also termed the attack “cowardly” and said the prime minister had instructed that those responsible be brought to justice.
He said the state remained committed to protecting lives and places of worship and that action would continue against terrorists under a “zero-tolerance” policy.
JUI-F leaders, including Maulana Rashid Mahmood Soomro and Maulana Nasir Mahmood Soomro, also condemned the bombing and demanded swift action against those involved. They called for stronger security measures for places of worship.
The Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC) termed the attack a brutal crime against Islam, humanity and the sanctity of religious spaces.
In a video message shared with media outlets, PUC Chairman Allama Tahir Ashrafi said the perpetrators of the attack had no association with Islam or human values.
PBC expresses sympathies
The Pakistan Bar Council also expressed sympathy with bereaved family members and prayed for the high ranks for the departed soul and early recovery for the injured.
The Islamabad Bar Association announced a day of mourning and a strike in protest over the terrorist incident. In a statement, the association expressed deep sorrow over the attack and demanded a thorough investigation.
Meanwhile, protests erupted across several parts of the country, as anger and grief spilt onto the streets following the Islamabad attack.
In Karachi, mourners and activists blocked major roads, demanding justice for the victims and swift action against those responsible for the attack.
Major demonstrations were held at key locations, including the main Malir 15 intersection, Shahrah-i-Pakistan near the Incholi bus stop, Abul Hasan Isphahani Road near Abbas Town and at Numaish.
The protesters chanted slogans against terrorism and held placards condemning continued failures to protect places of worship.
The protests organised and supported by Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM), Jafferia Alliance, Imamia Students Organisation and Shia Ulema Council attracted a large number of participants, including women and children.
Demonstrations were also held in Gilgit, Skardu, Hunza and Nagar districts, with protesters blocking sections of the Karakoram Highway and other roads to condemn the attack.
In Skardu, protesters gathered at Yadgar Chowk and chanted slogans against the government over security failures.
Speaking on the occasion, the President of Anjuman-i-Imamia Baltistan, Agha Syed Baqar Hussaini and other religious scholars demanded the immediate arrest of those responsible and announced a peaceful protest in Baltistan on Saturday and three days of mourning.
In Hunza and Nagar, protesters blocked the Karakoram Highway at Gulmit and Ganish for several hours, burning tyres and raising slogans against terrorists. In Gilgit, demonstrators described the bombing as an attack on humanity and Islamic values and offered condolences to the victims’ families.
GB Governor Syed Mehdi Shah, caretaker Chief Minister Yar Muhammad, GB Assembly speaker Nazir Ahmed Advocate and other political and religious leaders and civil society members also condemned the blast and demanded exemplary punishment for the culprits.
Separately, the Shia Ulema Council staged a rally and demonstration in Nawabshah, condemning the bombing and demand-ing immediate action against the perpetrators.
Meanwhile, police authorities in Sindh said security arrangements at mosques, imambargahs and other religious sites were being strengthened following the Islamabad blast.
Saleem Shahid in Quetta, Imran Ayub in Karachi, M.B. Kalhoro in Larkana, Jamil Nagri in Gilgit and Zulfiqar Memon in Nawabshah contributed to this report
Published in Dawn, February 7th, 2026
