Islamabad blast: Over 30 killed and 169 injured after explosion rips through imambargah

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A powerful explosion tore through a Shia place of worship in Islamabad during Friday prayers, killing at least 31 people and injuring 169 others, in one of the deadliest attacks to hit Pakistan’s capital in recent years.

The blast occurred at the Khadija Tul Kubra mosque, also known as the Tarlai Imambargah, in the southeastern Tarlai Kalan area. Reports by Al Jazeera and Dawn said the explosion struck as worshippers had gathered for congregational prayers, sparking scenes of panic and chaos.

Islamabad Capital Territory Police spokesperson Taqi Jawad said it was too early to determine the nature of the blast. Forensic teams would investigate “whether it was a suicide or a planted bomb,” he told local media. However, a security source cited by AFP said a suicide attacker was responsible.

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said mosque security guards tried to stop the suspect. “The mosque’s security guards tried to intercept the suspect, who opened fire at them before detonating his explosives among the worshippers,” he said, adding that the attacker had been travelling to and from Afghanistan.

Rescue workers and police teams rushed to the site as authorities sealed off the surrounding area. The district administration said assistant commissioners were deployed to supervise treatment of the injured at hospitals across the city.

An emergency was declared at major medical facilities, including the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences and the Polyclinic Hospital. Hospital officials activated the main emergency, orthopaedic, burn centre, and neurology departments to cope with the influx of patients.

AFP journalists at PIMS reported seeing adults and children brought in on stretchers, or carried by relatives and bystanders. Some victims arrived in private vehicles, while medics unloaded others with blood-soaked clothes from ambulances. Friends and family members screamed and wept outside the heavily guarded emergency ward.

Footage verified by Al Jazeera showed bloodied bodies lying inside the mosque amid shattered glass and debris. Islamabad resident Aun Shah said his father was seriously wounded. “He has a hole in his stomach,” he said.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed “deep grief” over the incident. President Asif Ali Zardari said “targeting innocent civilians is a crime against humanity” and added, “The nation stands with the affected families in this difficult time.”

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi condemned the attack and directed authorities to ensure the best possible medical care for the wounded. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said, “Such acts of terrorism cannot dampen the morale of the nation. The need of the hour is that we all stand united for peace, tolerance, and stability, and express solidarity with law enforcement agencies.”

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar described the blast as a “cowardly suicide attack on innocent worshippers,” posting on X: “Targeting places of worship and civilians is a heinous crime against humanity and a blatant violation of Islamic principles. Pakistan stands united against terrorism in all its forms.”

No group immediately claimed responsibility, though suspicion is likely to fall on Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan or the Islamic State group, both of which have been blamed for previous attacks on Shia Muslims, a minority in Pakistan.

The bombing comes less than three months after a suicide blast outside Islamabad’s district and sessions court building killed 12 people and injured more than 30. It also evokes memories of the 2008 attack on the Marriott Hotel, when a suicide bomber driving a dump truck killed at least 63 people and wounded hundreds.

As investigations continue, security has been tightened across the capital, while families mourn victims of yet another attack on a place of worship.