A massive explosion rocked a Shia mosque on the outskirts of Pakistan’s capital during Friday prayers, resulting in the death of 31 individuals and injuring at least 169 others, as confirmed by the police.
The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack through a statement on Telegram a few hours after the incident. Islamabad police initially labeled the blast at the extensive mosque as an attack and launched an investigation. Reports from rescuers and witnesses indicated that some of the wounded were in critical condition, with visuals from television and social media showing police and locals transferring the injured to nearby medical facilities.
Pakistan’s Interior Minister, Moshin Naqvi, disclosed on Saturday that authorities had apprehended four individuals suspected of aiding the suicide bomber. During a news briefing, Naqvi mentioned that the arrests, including the alleged mastermind, were made following raids in Peshawar and Nowshera.
Eyewitness Hussain Shah described a distressing scene at the site, with bodies and injured individuals scattered on the mosque’s carpeted floor. Shah recounted hearing a sudden and loud explosion while praying in the mosque courtyard, prompting him to rush inside where chaos and cries for help filled the air. He estimated around 30 casualties inside the mosque, with a higher number of wounded individuals.
The surge in militant violence in Pakistan in recent months has been attributed primarily to Baloch separatist groups and the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, also known as TTP, which is a separate but allied group with Afghanistan’s Taliban. Additionally, an Islamic State group regional affiliate has been active in the country.
Amidst the condemnation from Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the United States, European Union, and various embassies in Islamabad, President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif denounced the attack, extending condolences to the victims’ families and prioritizing medical assistance for the injured. Zardari emphasized the heinous nature of targeting innocent civilians as a crime against humanity, rallying national support for those affected.
The attack coincided with Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s official visit to Pakistan, where he was attending an event with Sharif several kilometers away from the explosion site. Sharif has ordered a comprehensive investigation to identify and penalize those responsible, echoing Naqvi’s call for providing the best medical care to the wounded.
The latest assault follows a series of recent deadly incidents, including the Baloch Liberation Army’s attacks in Balochistan province that claimed approximately 50 lives. Security forces responded by neutralizing over 200 “terrorists” in counter-actions following the assaults.