Worshippers Targeted in Islamabad Explosion,24 killed

Email: online@newsofbahrain.com

Islamabad : A powerful explosion ripped through a mosque in the Tarlai area on the outskirts of Pakistan’s capital on Friday afternoon, killing dozens of worshippers and injuring scores of others, according to police and rescue officials. Several reports indicate the attack was a suicide bombing at a Shiite place of worship during Friday prayers.

Police sources in Islamabad’s federal capital said at least 24 people were killed and more than 100 wounded when a bomber detonated explosives at the entrance of the Imambargah in Shehzad Town. Authorities described the attacker as a militant who was stopped by security personnel but managed to set off the device before being prevented from entering the crowded prayer hall itself.

Emergency response teams and firefighters quickly converged on the scene following the blast. Hospitals in the city, including the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) and the Polyclinic, declared emergency status to cope with the heavy inflow of patients and critically injured victims.

Officials sealed off the blast site as investigators began gathering evidence and examining what triggered the explosion. While details about the method have not yet been officially released, initial assessments by law enforcement suggest the attack was a suicide explosion carried out by an assailant who detonated his device at the entrance gate.

The assault occurred as tens of worshippers were attending prayers, causing widespread panic and confusion among congregants and nearby residents. Shia mosques and community centres in Pakistan have been repeatedly targeted in sectarian violence and militant attacks in recent years, heightening concern over the safety of minority groups.

Both President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the bombing, offering condolences to the bereaved families and calling for intensified action against extremism. Officials vowed that perpetrators would be pursued and held accountable under Pakistan’s anti-terror laws.

No group has yet publicly claimed responsibility for the attack. However, militant organisations such as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Islamic State’s Khorasan Province faction have been implicated in past violent acts targeting places of worship and minority communities across Pakistan. Security forces have launched a full investigation to determine whether this blast was connected to broader extremist networks.

The blast has reignited national and international concerns about the persistence of sectarian violence in the region and the challenges facing Pakistan’s security agencies in safeguarding civilians and religious sites.

Photo credit:AFP