A wave of terror crashed through the heart of Islamabad, Pakistan, on Tuesday, as a suicide bomber detonated explosives outside the district court buildings. The blast ripped through the area, leaving a trail of devastation and claiming the lives of at least twelve people, with twenty-seven more wounded.
Panic seized the city as news of the attack spread. The area, a hub of government offices alongside the courts, erupted in chaos as people desperately sought safety. This was the first such attack to strike Islamabad in years, shattering a fragile sense of security.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi confirmed the act was a suicide bombing, speaking to journalists at the scene. Paramedic troops swiftly moved to cordon off the area, focusing their efforts near where the attacker detonated the explosives, close to a police vehicle.
The investigation immediately began, centering on identifying the bomber and tracing their origins. Authorities are working to piece together the events leading up to the attack, seeking answers in the wake of the tragedy.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif swiftly condemned the bombing, placing blame on “terrorist proxies backed by India,” Pakistan’s long-standing rival. This accusation came without the presentation of supporting evidence, adding another layer of complexity to the situation.
The timing of the Islamabad attack is particularly sensitive, coming just a day after a car explosion in India’s capital, Delhi, resulted in at least eight fatalities. This sequence of events raises concerns about escalating tensions in the region.
Sharif also pointed fingers at the Pakistani Taliban and separatist groups operating in Balochistan, both of whom have a history of targeting Pakistani security forces. These groups have been responsible for numerous attacks in the past.
Witnesses described a scene of utter pandemonium. Lawyer Mohammed Shahzad Butt recounted a “massive blast” and the immediate, frantic rush for safety. He reported seeing at least five bodies lying near the court’s entrance.
Another lawyer, Rustam Malik, described hearing a deafening explosion as he approached the complex. “It was complete chaos,” he said, detailing the sight of lawyers and civilians fleeing in terror, alongside burning vehicles and more victims.
Islamabad has enjoyed relative peace in recent years, with the last suicide attack occurring in December 2022. This latest bombing represents a disturbing resurgence of militant violence in the capital.
Adding to the sense of crisis, Pakistani security forces were simultaneously engaged in a separate confrontation with militants who had taken refuge in a school in the northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province’s Wana district.
Minister Naqvi revealed that three people had died in the Wana attack the previous night, identifying the attacker as an Afghan national. He directly implicated Afghanistan in the incident, alleging their involvement in the assault.
