Suicide bombing at Shiite mosque near Islamabad kills 31, injures over 160
A suicide bomber struck a Shiite mosque on the outskirts of Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, during Friday prayers, killing at least 31 people and injuring more than 160 others in one of the deadliest attacks in the city in years.
The explosion hit the Khadija Al-Kubra mosque, triggering scenes of panic and devastation as worshippers and rescuers rushed the wounded to nearby hospitals. Officials said several victims were in critical condition.
Witnesses described a horrific scene inside the mosque, with bodies and injured worshippers lying across the carpeted prayer hall. Hussain Shah, who was praying in the courtyard at the time, said he heard a powerful blast before rushing inside.
“I thought a huge attack had happened,” he said, adding that many people were screaming for help and that he counted around 30 bodies inside the mosque.
Authorities initially released lower casualty figures before confirming the updated toll. Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Irfan Memon said emergency services were overwhelmed by the number of wounded.
No group immediately claimed responsibility, but suspicion has fallen on militant groups such as the Pakistani Taliban (TTP) and Islamic State affiliates, which have previously targeted Shiite communities across the country. Pakistan has experienced a surge in militant violence in recent months, driven mainly by the TTP, Baloch separatist groups, and regional Islamic State factions.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister, Khawaja Mohammad Asif, said preliminary findings suggested the attacker had links to movements between Pakistan and Afghanistan. He disclosed that mosque security guards attempted to stop the suspect, who opened fire before detonating his explosives among worshippers. The condition of the guards was not immediately known.
Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry condemned the attack, describing it as a violation of the sanctity of mosques and religious worship. The United States, European Union, and several foreign embassies in Islamabad also issued statements of condemnation and condolences.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif extended sympathies to the victims’ families and directed authorities to ensure full medical support for the injured.
“Targeting innocent civilians is a crime against humanity,” Zardari said, while Sharif vowed that those responsible would be identified and punished.
Shiite leader Raja Nasir described the attack as a serious security failure and appealed to residents to donate blood, saying hospitals in Islamabad urgently needed supplies for the wounded.
The bombing marks one of the deadliest attacks in the capital since the 2008 suicide bombing at the Marriott Hotel, which killed 63 people. It also comes amid escalating violence nationwide, following recent coordinated attacks in Balochistan that left dozens dead.
