Islamabad: A massive explosion rocked Pakistan’s capital on Friday, killing at least 31 people and injuring over 130 others, prompting authorities to declare a state of emergency in the city. Police said the blast, suspected to be a suicide bombing, took place at the Tarlai Imambargah in Islamabad’s Shehzad Town area soon after Friday prayers.
The explosion occurred at the Shia shrine when a large number of worshippers were present, triggering panic in the surrounding area. Security forces and rescue teams rushed to the site immediately, while ambulances ferried the injured to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) and Polyclinic Hospital. Officials said a rescue and search operation is still underway, even as local media reports suggested the death toll could be higher than officially confirmed.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack, expressing deep grief over the loss of lives. In a statement, his office said the prime minister strongly denounced the blast and directed authorities to ensure the best possible medical care for the injured.
The attack comes at a time when Pakistani security forces are carrying out a major counter-insurgency operation, Radd-ul-Fitna-1, in Balochistan. Launched on January 26, the operation has reportedly resulted in the killing of 216 Baloch rebels, while also claiming the lives of 22 security personnel and 36 civilians. Balochistan, which borders Iran and Afghanistan, has witnessed a long-running insurgency, with rebel groups demanding independence and targeting security forces and projects linked to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Friday’s blast marks the second suicide attack in Islamabad in the past three months. In November last year, a suicide bombing at the Islamabad District Judicial Complex killed 12 people and injured 27 others. At the time, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said the attacker detonated himself near a police vehicle after failing to enter the court premises.
Following that incident, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif had blamed Afghanistan, stating that Pakistan was effectively in a state of war. He had warned that militant violence was no longer confined to border regions or Balochistan but posed a threat to the entire country.
