Pakistan’s Minister of Interior has reported that a suicide bomber detonated explosives near a police vehicle outside a district court in Islamabad, the capital city, on Tuesday. The attack resulted in the tragic death of 12 individuals and left 27 others injured.
According to Minister Mohsin Naqvi, the bomber attempted to enter the court premises but failed to do so, leading to the targeting of a police vehicle. Police investigators have confirmed that the explosion was indeed caused by a suicide bomber.
The blast, which was audible for kilometers, occurred during a time of day when the area outside the court is typically bustling with hundreds of visitors.
The Jamaat-ul-Ahrar group, a breakaway faction of the Pakistani Taliban, claimed responsibility for the attack through messages from leader Omar Mukaram Khurasani. However, an influential commander within the group, Sarbakaf Mohmand, distanced himself from any association with the attack.
The group split from the Pakistani Taliban following the death of the Jamaat-ul-Ahrar leader in Afghanistan in 2022. While some members have rejoined the Taliban, differences persist, indicating ongoing discord among the insurgents.
Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, known for previous smaller attacks, displayed its ability to strike the Pakistani capital, adding to the challenges faced by the government, including a resurgent Pakistani Taliban, border tensions, and a delicate ceasefire with Afghanistan.
Earlier reports suggested that a car bomb was responsible for the explosion, but Minister Naqvi alleged without evidence that the attack was orchestrated by Indian-backed elements and Afghan Taliban proxies associated with the Pakistani Taliban. Authorities are investigating all aspects of the incident.
The attack prompted swift condemnation from various countries and organizations, including the United States, China, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, and the United Nations. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for a thorough investigation and stressed the importance of holding all perpetrators of terrorism accountable.
The aftermath of the attack saw chaos outside the court, with police securing the area as smoke billowed into the sky. Most casualties were bystanders or individuals present for court appointments, according to Islamabad police.
In a separate incident earlier on Tuesday, Pakistani security forces thwarted an attempt by militants to take cadets hostage at an army-run college overnight. The militants, including a suicide car bomber, targeted the facility in a northwestern province. The attack, which began on Monday evening, resulted in casualties among the militants and an ongoing standoff with security forces.
The surge in militant activities in Pakistan in recent years has heightened concerns, with the deadliest attack occurring in 2014 when Taliban gunmen targeted an army-run school in Peshawar, claiming numerous lives.
Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have escalated in recent months, with cross-border conflicts and failed peace talks adding to the strained relations between the two neighboring nations.