Suicide Blast at Shia Mosque in Islamabad Kills at Least 30
By Arshad Mehmood/The Media Line
A powerful explosion struck Imam Bargah, a Shia mosque, in the Tarlai Kalan area of Islamabad during Friday afternoon prayers, sending shockwaves through the city. Initial reports suggest that at least 30 people were killed and more than 160 others injured when a suicide bomber detonated explosives at the main gate of the mosque while worshippers were gathered in and around the area.
Security officials and guards at the entrance confronted the attacker, likely preventing him from entering the main prayer hall and potentially averting an even greater loss of life. The force of the blast caused heavy damage to the gate’s structure, shattered windows of nearby buildings and scattered debris across the road, prompting an immediate response from police, rescue teams and firefighters.
Rescue services, including ambulances, rushed the injured to nearby medical facilities, while an emergency was declared in all hospitals across Islamabad. Major hospitals in the capital activated emergency wards and mobilized additional medical staff to cope with the influx of casualties.
Officials declared a citywide emergency as law enforcement sealed off the area to preserve evidence and begin a detailed investigation. Rescue workers continued recovery operations into the evening, while eyewitnesses described scenes of panic and chaos as worshippers fled the area following the blast, with thick smoke seen rising from the site amid an intense emergency operation.
No armed group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack. However, security experts note that the Islamic State Khorasan Province is notorious for targeting the Shia community in Pakistan and the wider region, raising concerns that the group may be involved, though officials have yet to confirm this.
The attack highlights the persistent threat of armed groups and sectarian violence in Pakistan, where places of worship, particularly those belonging to minority sects, have been repeatedly targeted in the past.
The deadly attack at the Shia mosque in Islamabad has raised serious concerns about security lapses despite heightened measures.
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