At least 31 people were killed and 169 injured in a suicide bombing at Imambargah Khadijah-tul-Kubra in Islamabad’s Tarlai area during Friday prayers
ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) – At least 31 people were killed and 169 others wounded when a suicide bomber struck an imambargah during Friday prayers, officials said. Police confirmed the casualty figures, adding that the explosion took place at Imambargah Khadijah-tul-Kubra in the Tarlai area of the federal capital.
Scenes from the site showed blood-stained bodies on the carpeted floor amid shattered glass and debris, as panicked worshippers struggled to escape. Dozens of injured victims were also seen lying in the garden outside the imambargah, with people urgently calling for assistance.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif alleged the involvement of India and Afghanistan in the attack, saying in a post on social media platform X that it had been established the attacker had travelled to and from Afghanistan. He claimed that evidence of collusion between India and Afghanistan was coming to light.
Earlier, a powerful explosion tore through an imambargah in the Tarlai area of the federal capital on Friday, killing at least 15 people and injuring more than 80 others, according to district administration officials.
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The blast occurred at Imambargah Khadijah al-Kubra during Friday prayers. Police and Rescue 1122 teams rushed to the site and launched rescue and relief operations. Security forces sealed off the area while investigations were initiated.
Islamabad Capital Territory Police spokesperson Taqi Jawad said it was premature to determine the nature of the explosion, adding that forensic teams would establish whether it was a suicide attack or a planted device.
Emergency measures were imposed at Polyclinic Hospital, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims), and CDA Hospital. Hospital administrations activated emergency, orthopaedic, burn, and neurology units to treat the injured.
The attack took place during the two-day official visit of Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the attack, calling the targeting of innocent civilians a crime against humanity, and directed authorities to provide the best medical care to the injured. Several political leaders, including Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry and Senate Opposition Leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, also denounced the incident and expressed condolences to the bereaved families.
