At least 31 people were killed and dozens more injured in a suicide bombing at Khadija Tul Kubra mosque in Islamabad’s Tarlai Kalan area during Friday prayers, marking one of the deadliest attacks in the city in recent years.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said the attacker fired on security guards before detonating explosives among worshippers. He alleged the suspect had been traveling to and from Afghanistan. Rescue teams transferred 169 injured people to hospitals, where medics and bystanders treated victims, some arriving in cars and ambulances in critical condition. Social media footage showed bloodied bodies and shattered debris inside the mosque.
Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar condemned the attack as a “cowardly suicide attack on innocent worshippers,” calling it a crime against humanity and a violation of Islamic principles. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep grief, and President Asif Ali Zardari affirmed national solidarity with the victims’ families. Shia leader Raja Abbas Nasir criticized authorities for failing to protect civilians.
The attack drew international condemnation, with the UK and EU labeling it “abhorrent” and offering condolences. Islamabad has witnessed similar attacks in the past, including a 2008 Marriott hotel bombing that killed 63 people, underscoring ongoing security challenges in Pakistan’s capital.
