Twelve individuals lost their lives in a suspected “suicide explosion” 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. Approximately 20 people sustained injuries of varying severity, with some receiving treatment at the PIMS Hospital in the capital. Reports indicate that the explosion originated from a nearby parked vehicle, triggering a fire.
A police spokesperson stated on Tuesday that the nature of the blast is under investigation, with further details pending the forensic team’s report. Senior officials confirmed the death toll at twelve, while at least 20 others were injured. Authorities are working to identify the victims as per local news sources.
Following the blast, security measures have been heightened in Islamabad, particularly around government premises to prevent potential subsequent attacks. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi of Pakistan revealed that the suicide attacker tried to access the court area but detonated the explosives near a police vehicle when unsuccessful.
Witnesses captured footage near the site showing a crowd watching from a nearby building balcony as thick smoke billowed from a vehicle below. The sound of alarms filled the air as onlookers recorded the chaotic scene on their mobile devices.
A lawyer present at the complex described the situation as “utter pandemonium.” Rustam Malik recounted hearing a loud noise at the gate as he arrived, witnessing people rushing inside the complex. He mentioned seeing two bodies at the gate and several vehicles ablaze, highlighting the chaos that ensued.
The explosion occurred shortly after security forces in Pakistan successfully thwarted an overnight assault where armed individuals attacked 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 TTP (Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan) base, al-Qaeda, and other armed groups.
Local police chief Alamgir Mahsud reported that troops swiftly neutralized two militants, while three others managed to breach the compound before being confined to an administrative area.