A devastating bombing struck a Shia mosque on the outskirts of Pakistan’s capital during Friday prayers, resulting in 31 fatalities and leaving at least 169 individuals injured, as confirmed by the police. The Islamic State group later claimed responsibility for the attack via a statement on Telegram.
Authorities in Islamabad had initially classified the explosion at the expansive mosque as an assault and launched an investigation. Rescuers and eyewitnesses reported that some of the wounded were in critical condition, with footage from television broadcasts and social media showing efforts to transport the injured to nearby medical facilities.
Pakistan’s Interior Minister, Moshin Naqvi, announced on Saturday that four individuals suspected of aiding the suicide bomber had been apprehended. Naqvi disclosed during a press briefing that the arrests, including the alleged mastermind, were made following raids in Peshawar and Nowshera.
Eyewitnesses at the scene described a distressing scenario, with casualties and wounded individuals strewn across the mosque’s carpeted floor. Hussain Shah, who was praying in the mosque courtyard, recounted hearing a sudden explosion and witnessing chaos upon entering the mosque, as the injured cried out for help. Shah estimated around 30 bodies inside the mosque, while the count of wounded individuals appeared notably higher.
The surge in militant violence in Pakistan, attributed mainly to Baloch separatist groups and the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a faction allied with Afghanistan’s Taliban, has been a growing concern. Additionally, an Islamic State affiliate has been active in the region.
Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif shared preliminary findings indicating that the suicide bomber had traveled to and from Afghanistan. Asif mentioned that the mosque’s security personnel attempted to stop the suspect, who fired at them before detonating explosives among the worshippers.
Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs swiftly condemned the attack on Friday, denouncing such acts that violate the sanctity of sacred sites and target innocent worshippers. The assault prompted global condemnation, with the United States, European Union, and various embassies in Islamabad expressing condolences and condemnation.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif issued statements condemning the attack and extending sympathies to the affected families. Zardari emphasized that targeting civilians is a crime against humanity and assured support for affected families, while Sharif called for a thorough investigation to identify and punish those responsible.
The incident coincided with Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s official visit, where he was attending an event with Sharif in Islamabad, several kilometers away from the blast site.
Notable past attacks in Islamabad include a 2008 suicide bombing at the Marriott Hotel, which claimed 63 lives and injured over 250 individuals. Another suicide bombing outside a court in November resulted in 12 fatalities and 27 injuries. This recent attack follows a series of assaults by the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army in Balochistan province, leading to approximately 50 deaths, with security forces reportedly neutralizing over 200 militants in response.