A fatal explosion, suspected to be a suicide attack, resulted in the deaths of twelve individuals outside the district court in Islamabad. Responders, including emergency teams, bomb disposal units, and forensic experts, swiftly arrived at the scene to investigate the incident. Over 20 people sustained injuries, with some receiving treatment at PIMS Hospital in the capital. Reports indicate that the explosion originated from a nearby vehicle, causing significant damage.
Authorities are actively investigating the nature of the blast, with a police spokesperson stating that further details will be provided after a forensic analysis. Senior officials have confirmed the death toll at twelve, with at least 20 individuals wounded. Efforts are underway to identify the victims, according to local sources.
In response to the incident, security measures have been heightened across Islamabad to avert any potential follow-up attacks. Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi disclosed that the suicide attacker attempted to breach the court premises but resorted to detonating explosives near a police vehicle when unsuccessful.
Witnesses captured footage showing a crowd observing the scene from a nearby building’s balcony as smoke billowed from the vehicle. Alarms blared in the background as onlookers recorded the chaotic aftermath on their mobile devices.
A lawyer present at the complex described the situation as “complete chaos,” recounting the harrowing experience of hearing the blast and witnessing the ensuing panic among lawyers and visitors. The lawyer reported seeing casualties and vehicles engulfed in flames.
The explosion occurred shortly after Pakistani security forces thwarted an attack on a cadet college in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, near the Afghan border. The attempted attack involved a suicide car bomber and five militants targeting a former stronghold of various armed groups, including the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan and al-Qaeda.
Local police chief Alamgir Mahsud confirmed that two militants were neutralized by security forces, while three others briefly infiltrated the compound before being contained in an administrative area.