At least 30 people have been killed and more than 130 injured in a suicide bombing at a Shiite mosque in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, during Friday prayers.
A police source said the blast occurred shortly after worshippers had gathered for prayers, one of the busiest times at mosques across the country. Authorities warned that the death toll is likely to rise as several of the wounded remain in critical condition.
A senior security official said the attacker was intercepted at the mosque gate before detonating the explosives. “The attacker was stopped at the gate and detonated himself,” the source said.
Journalists at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences hospital described chaotic scenes as victims including adults and children were rushed in on stretchers and carried by relatives. Blood-stained survivors arrived in ambulances and private vehicles, with at least one casualty transported in the boot of a car. Distressed family members gathered outside the emergency ward as medical teams worked to treat the injured.
Security forces sealed off the area around the mosque, where bloodstains were visible near the entrance. Footage circulating on social media, yet to be independently verified, appeared to show bodies and debris scattered inside the prayer hall.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack and vowed that those responsible would be brought to justice. No group has immediately claimed responsibility.
The bombing comes amid rising security challenges in Pakistan, where authorities say militant groups operating in provinces bordering Afghanistan have intensified attacks. Islamabad has accused insurgent groups of using Afghan territory as a base, an allegation the Taliban government denies, further straining relations between the two countries.
Pakistan, a Sunni-majority nation, has seen repeated sectarian attacks against its Shiite minority, which makes up roughly 10 to 15 percent of the population.
The incident marks one of the deadliest attacks in the capital in recent years, following a suicide bombing outside a court in November that left 12 people dead. Authorities remain on high alert as investigations continue.