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Suicide bombing outside Islamabad court kills 12, injures 27
A suicide attack near a district courthouse in Pakistan's capital killed 12 people and wounded at least 27 others on Tuesday, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi confirmed. The bomber detonated explosives close to a police vehicle after waiting for roughly 15 minutes, unable to breach the court's security perimeter.
Attack details and aftermath
The blast occurred at 12:39 local time (07:39 GMT), leaving behind a burnt-out car and a cordoned-off scene, as shown in footage from the area. Naqvi stated that the injured are receiving medical treatment, while authorities prioritize identifying the bomber and holding those responsible accountable. The motive and perpetrators remain unclear.
Eyewitness Rustam Malik, a lawyer parking nearby, described the moment to AFP: "It was complete chaos. Lawyers and people were running inside the complex. I saw two dead bodies lying on the gate and several cars on fire." Plumes of smoke rose from the charred vehicle behind security barriers.
Official reactions and accusations
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the attack, while Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif accused extremist groups "actively backed by India" of involvement. "Terrorist attacks on unarmed citizens of Pakistan by India's terrorist proxies are condemnable," he stated. India has not responded to the allegations and has previously denied similar claims.
The incident marks Islamabad's first suicide bombing in three years, following a 2021 attack that killed a police officer. While other regions in Pakistan have experienced such attacks since, the capital had remained unaffected until now.
Separate blast in Delhi
In a separate incident on Monday, a car explosion in India's capital Delhi killed eight people and injured others. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed justice, stating, "The conspirators behind this heinous act will not be spared." Authorities have not yet labeled the event a terror attack, though the case was referred to India's anti-terror body. The cause remains under investigation.
