At least twelve people were killed while 27 people were injured on Tuesday in a suicide blast outside the district and sessions court building in Islamabad’s G-11 area, according to officials.
The incident occurred as international events were being hosted in the capital, including the Inter-Parliamentary Speakers’ Conference and the 6th Margalla Dialogue, while a cricket match between the Greenshirts and Sri Lanka was also being held in Pindi.
The death toll was initially confirmed to media by a senior Islamabad police official. Later, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi briefed the media outside the court, saying that a “suicide blast” had occurred at 12:39pm.
Confirming the death and injury toll, the interior minister said that the wounded were being provided medical treatment, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif personally in touch with the hospitals in question.
“The attacker stood outside the court for around 12 minutes. He first attempted to go inside the court, but then targeted the police vehicle after he was unable to do so,” Naqvi said.
He added that an investigation was underway and identifying the attacker was a top priority. “I assure you we will identify him in the next few hours,” he said.
“We are investigating this incident from different angles. It is not just another bombing. It happened right in Islamabad,” the minister said.
Naqvi added that things would become clearer in the coming days, adding that those involved would not be spared.
He said that the Army, Rangers and police would ensure the security of international events being hosted in the capital would not be compromised.
Videos of the incident on social media showed flames and plumes of smoke rising into the air from the remains of a charred vehicle behind a security barrier.
Spokesperson for the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) Dr Mubahshir Daha also confirmed that “12 people have been martyred in the blast”, while the number of injured has risen to 30, as per a statement.
“Following the attack, an emergency has been declared at PIMS, and medical assistance to the injured is underway,” the spokesperson said. “All resources are being utilised to assist the injured.”
‘Wake-up call’
In a post on X, President Asif Ali Zardari expressed his condolences to the bereaved families, prayed for the recovery of the injured, and paid tribute to law enforcement agencies.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif also called the incident a “wake-up call”.
“We are in a state of war. Anyone who thinks that the Pakistan Army is fighting this war in the Afghan-Pakistan border region and the remote areas of Balochistan, today’s suicide attack at the Islamabad district courts is a wake-up call,” he said.
“In this environment, it would be futile to hold out greater hope for successful negotiations with the rulers of Kabul,” he added.
Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar also condemned the incident in Islamabad and expressed grief over the loss of precious human lives.
“Suicide bombers and terrorists have no religion. They enemies of humanity,” he said, adding that Sindh police had been put on high alert until further orders.
“Checking and surveillance should be tightened at the province’s entry and exit points, important highways, roads and side roads, while intelligence measures should be made more effective and coordinated, especially in crime-affected areas and suburbs,” he said.
Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Faisal Karim Kundi condemned the blast and wished a speedy recovery to the injured.
“Those who spill the blood of innocent people are enemies of this nation and humanity,” he said as per a statement issued by the PPP media cell, stressing that “terrorists do not deserve any mercy.”
National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, condemning the attack, said, “Terrorists cannot demoralise the nation by their cowardly actions.”
He stressed that national unity was unavoidable in order to eliminate terrorism.
This is a developing story that is being updated as the situation evolves. Initial reports in the media can sometimes be inaccurate. We will strive to ensure timeliness and accuracy by relying on credible sources, such as concerned, qualified authorities and our staff reporters.
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