Four people have been arrested on suspicion of facilitating a suicide bombing that killed more than 30 people on Friday, Pakistan's interior minister has said. Mohsin Naqvi stated that an Afghan national alleged to be the mastermind behind the attack was among those detained. During the raids to apprehend the suspects, one counter-terrorism officer lost his life and three others sustained injuries.
The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the bombing, which targeted a bustling Shia mosque in the Tarlai area during Friday prayers. This tragic incident marked the deadliest attack in the capital in over a decade, injuring more than 160 people.
In response to the attack, thousands gathered in Islamabad for the funerals of the 32 victims on Saturday. Security was heightened, with police checkpoints and soldiers deployed across key areas. Eyewitnesses recounted the chaos that unfolded in the moments following the explosion, with many describing scenes of devastation and loss.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, expressed his profound grief over the tragedy, while President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the targeting of innocent civilians. Naqvi has alleged foreign involvement, accusing India of funding those responsible for the attack, though India has denied these claims. Furthermore, he suggested that Afghanistan may have had a role, a statement the Afghan government labeled as baseless. Moving forward, authorities are pledging to reinforce security measures in Islamabad to prevent further attacks.
The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the bombing, which targeted a bustling Shia mosque in the Tarlai area during Friday prayers. This tragic incident marked the deadliest attack in the capital in over a decade, injuring more than 160 people.
In response to the attack, thousands gathered in Islamabad for the funerals of the 32 victims on Saturday. Security was heightened, with police checkpoints and soldiers deployed across key areas. Eyewitnesses recounted the chaos that unfolded in the moments following the explosion, with many describing scenes of devastation and loss.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, expressed his profound grief over the tragedy, while President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the targeting of innocent civilians. Naqvi has alleged foreign involvement, accusing India of funding those responsible for the attack, though India has denied these claims. Furthermore, he suggested that Afghanistan may have had a role, a statement the Afghan government labeled as baseless. Moving forward, authorities are pledging to reinforce security measures in Islamabad to prevent further attacks.
