At least 31 people have been killed, and 169 others sustained injuries after a suspected suicide blast occurred at a religious centre in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad on Friday, reports said.
The explosion reportedly occurred at the Tarlai Imambargah, a Shiite mosque in the Shehzad Town area, during the two-day official visit of Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
According to the police, the suicide bomber was stopped at the entrance of the imambargah, but he detonated himself.
Following the incident, police teams and rescue workers rushed to the spot and began relief operations. Hospitals in the capital, including the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) and the Polyclinic Hospital declared emergencies and admitted the injured for treatment.
Videos that circulated online showed scenes of chaos at the site, with people seen running in panic while other tried to assist the wounded.
Islamabad Capital Territory Police Spokesperson Taqi Jawad said it was too soon to ascertain the nature of the blast and forensics teams would need to determine whether it was a suicide or a planted bomb.
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Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi condemned the attack and urged authorities to provide the best possible medical care to the victims.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry also strongly condemned the blast, calling for national unity and solidarity with law enforcement agencies. “Such acts of terrorism cannot dampen the morale of the nation. The need of the hour is to stand united for peace, tolerance, and stability,” he said.
However, so far, no group has claimed responsibility for the explosion. However, police sources said that the attacker was a foreign national and had links with Fitna al Khwaraji, a term used for Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
