A suicide bombing at a Shia mosque in Islamabad, Pakistan, has killed at least 31 people and injured at least 169 others, marking one of the deadliest attacks in the country’s capital in recent years. The explosion occurred during Friday prayers at the Khadija Tul Kubra mosque, located in the Tarlai Kalan area of southeastern Islamabad.
Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif stated that security guards at the mosque attempted to intercept the attacker, who reportedly opened fire before detonating explosives amongst the worshippers. Asif alleged the attacker had travelled to and from Afghanistan.
Rescue teams transported 169 injured individuals to hospitals following the blast, according to a statement released by the Islamabad administration. The scene was described as chaotic, with footage circulating on social media and verified by Al Jazeera showing bodies lying on the mosque floor amidst broken glass and debris.
The Islamic State group (ISIL) claimed responsibility for the attack on its Telegram channel, releasing an image purporting to show the attacker, according to Reuters. An affiliate of ISIL has previously been blamed for attacks targeting Pakistan’s Shia minority.
Aun Shah, a resident of Islamabad, recounted the harrowing experience, stating his father was “badly” injured in the attack. “He has a hole in his stomach,” Shah said.
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar condemned the incident as a “cowardly suicide attack on innocent worshippers.” He emphasized that targeting places of worship and civilians is “a heinous crime against humanity and a blatant violation of Islamic principles,” adding that Pakistan stands united against terrorism.
At the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences hospital, journalists from the Associated Press and AFP observed a scene of intense activity, with adults and children being brought in on stretchers and carried by arms and legs. Medics and bystanders worked to assist the injured, some of whom arrived in the trunks of cars. Friends and relatives of the wounded were visibly distressed at the hospital’s heavily guarded emergency ward.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed his “deep grief” following the incident, while President Asif Ali Zardari stated that “targeting innocent civilians is a crime against humanity.” Both leaders affirmed the nation’s solidarity with the affected families.
Raja Abbas Nasir, a top Pakistani Shia leader, noted that the incident represented “a serious failure in protecting human lives” and raised questions about the performance of authorities and law enforcement agencies.
International condemnation of the attack has been swift. Jane Marriott, the United Kingdom’s ambassador to Pakistan, called the violence “abhorrent” and expressed her outrage and heartbreak. The Delegation of the European Union in Pakistan condemned all acts of terrorism and extended condolences to the victims’ families.
This attack comes after a suicide bomber detonated an explosive device at the entrance of the Islamabad District Judicial Complex in November, killing at least 12 people and injuring dozens. In 2008, a suicide bomber detonated a dump truck at Islamabad’s Marriott hotel, resulting in at least 63 deaths and over 250 injuries.
