Pakistan mourns victims of deadly Islamabad mosque attack

Yesterday 11:00

By: Sahili Aya

Pakistan mourns victims of deadly Islamabad mosque attack

Funerals were held Saturday for some of the 31 victims of a suicide bombing targeting a Shia mosque in Islamabad, claimed by the jihadist group ISIS. The attack, which occurred during Friday prayers, is the deadliest in the Pakistani capital since 2008, when 60 people died in a truck bombing at the Marriott Hotel.

According to local authorities, 31 people were killed and 169 others injured, though officials warned the death toll could rise. Eyewitnesses described the assailant being stopped at the mosque entrance before detonating explosives.

Imran Mahmood, a worshipper, said a volunteer security guard fired at the attacker, hitting his thigh, moments before the explosion. Muhammad Kazim, another attendee, recounted hearing gunfire followed by a powerful blast that sent debris flying and left many bodies scattered.

Kazim criticized the lack of security at Shia mosques, noting that these communities face constant threats and calling on the government to take stronger protective measures.

Pakistan, predominantly Sunni, has a Shia minority representing 10–15% of the population. In recent years, Shia communities have been targeted by extremist groups, including ISIS.

The UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, condemned the attack on civilians and places of worship, calling it unacceptable. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif pledged that those responsible would be found and prosecuted, while Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar denounced the bombing as a “hateful act violating the principles of Islam.”

Security forces in Pakistan are also contending with increasing insurgencies along the country’s northern and southern borders with Afghanistan and Iran. Recent attacks in Baluchistan have killed dozens of civilians and security personnel, prompting operations that reportedly killed nearly 200 insurgents.