At least 31 people were killed in a bombing of a mosque in Islamabad on Friday. The explosion took place during Friday prayers inside the Khadijatul‑Kubra Mosque in the Tarlai Kalan neighbourhood, and more than 169 others were injured, flooding local hospitals and prompting an emergency response across the city.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack and expressed deep sympathy for the victims. Police officials believe a suicide bomber was stopped at the mosque’s entrance and detonated an explosive device after a brief gun‑fire exchange with the mosque’s security forces, as reported by eyewitnesses.
Security forces cordoned off the area and have launched an investigation. President Asif Ali Zardari called the assault “a crime against humanity” against innocent civilians. The government has placed all hospitals in Islamabad and Rawalpindi on high alert to care for the wounded.
