At least 50 people were killed and more than 150 injured in a blast during Friday prayers at a Shi’ite mosque in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, according to police and government officials.
Two police officials, speaking on condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to brief the media, said the suspected suicide bomber was stopped by security guards at the entrance and failed to enter the mosque premises. The attacker reportedly detonated the explosives at the gate.
The explosion occurred at the Khadija Tul Kubra Imambargah, located in a semi-urban locality on the outskirts of Islamabad. Officials said guards intercepted the suspect before he could reach the main prayer hall.
Journalists allege media blackout
Several local journalists took to X, alleging that national television channels were underreporting the incident and not broadcasting from the blast site. Some claimed the death toll had crossed 50 even as certain outlets continued to cite lower figures.
Journalist Ihtisham Ul Haq criticised Pakistani television networks for airing entertainment shows, Basant celebrations and cricket coverage despite the deadly attack in the capital. Describing the situation as “deeply shameful,” he accused sections of the media of insensitivity at a time of national tragedy.
Reuters reported that two police officials confirmed the attacker was intercepted at the mosque gate before detonating the device.
Leaders condemn ‘terror attack’
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry termed the explosion a terrorist act in a post on X, expressing sorrow over what he described as a “cowardly” attack.
“Such acts of terrorism cannot weaken the resolve of the nation. We must stand united for peace, tolerance and stability, and show solidarity with our law enforcement agencies,” he said.
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also condemned the blast, calling the targeting of worshippers inside a mosque “an attack on humanity, religion and the national conscience.” In a party statement, he said no faith or ideology permits the killing of innocent people and described terrorism as a threat to Pakistan’s unity and values.
However, Islamabad Capital Territory Police spokesperson Taqi Jawad told Dawn that it was too early to definitively determine the nature of the explosion. He confirmed that among the dead was a cousin of Islamabad Inspector General of Police Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi, while another relative of the IGP was injured.
Scenes of devastation
Images from the site showed bloodstained prayer mats, shattered glass and debris scattered across the mosque floor. Worshippers were seen rushing to assist the injured in the aftermath of the blast.
Many of the wounded were laid out in the mosque gardens as people called for ambulances. The injured were later shifted to various hospitals in the capital for treatment.
Pattern of sectarian violence
While Islamabad is generally considered a high-security zone where such attacks are rare, Pakistan has witnessed a rise in militant violence in recent years. Shi’ite Muslims, a minority in the predominantly Sunni-majority country of around 241 million people, have frequently been targeted in sectarian attacks.
The Sunni extremist group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has previously carried out attacks against Shi’ite communities, whom it considers heretical. No organisation has claimed responsibility for the latest blast so far.
Islamabad had also witnessed a suicide bombing on November 11 last year that killed 12 people and injured 27. Authorities had said that attack was carried out by an Afghan national.