A devastating bombing struck the Shiite mosque of Khadija Al-Kubra on the outskirts of Islamabad, Pakistan, during Friday prayers, leaving at least 31 people dead and 169 others injured, officials said.
Witnesses described scenes of chaos as worshippers were caught in the blast.
Television footage and social media posts showed rescuers and residents rushing the wounded to nearby hospitals.
Some of the injured were reported in critical condition, raising fears the death toll could rise.
Chaos in Islamabad mosque
Hussain Shah, who was praying in the mosque courtyard, recounted the moment of the attack. “I immediately thought that some big attack has happened,” he said.
Entering the mosque, he saw bodies on the carpeted floor and people screaming for help. Shah estimated around 30 bodies inside, while many more were wounded.
Authorities have not received a claim of responsibility for the bombing, though suspicion is expected to fall on militant groups such as the Pakistani Taliban or regional affiliates of the Islamic State, which have previously targeted Shiite communities.
Militants in Pakistan often strike security forces and civilians, with recent months seeing a rise in attacks across the country.
Government and leaders respond swiftly Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Irfan Memon updated the casualty numbers shortly after the initial reports.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack and extended condolences to the victims’ families. “Targeting innocent civilians is a crime against humanity,” Zardari said. Sharif ordered a full investigation, saying, “Those who are responsible must be identified and punished.”
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi urged hospitals to provide the best possible care for the wounded. Shiite leader Raja Nasir called the attack a serious failure in protecting human life and appealed for blood donations, noting that hospitals were in urgent need.
The bombing occurred near an event attended by Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Islamabad, several miles from the mosque. Islamabad has previously suffered major attacks, including a 2008 bombing at the Marriott Hotel that killed 63 people.
The incident comes days after multiple attacks in Balochistan by the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army, which killed roughly 50 people and prompted security forces to eliminate more than 200 militants.
