At least 12 people were killed and around 30 others injured after a car exploded near the district and sessions court near G-11 area in Islamabad on Tuesday, local media reported reported. Pakistan defence minister Khawaja Asif and President Asif Ali Zardari both termed the incident a “suicide blast,” and described the situation as “Pakistan at war.”Confirming the casualties, the country’s interior minister said that those injured were receiving medical care, adding that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was personally monitoring the situation and staying in contact with the hospitals treating the victims.The Pakistan Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, saying in a statement they had targeted judicial officials.“Our fighter attacked the judical commission in Islamabad. Judges, lawyers and officials who carried out rulings under Pakistan’s un-Islamic laws were targeted,” the group said in a statement, threatening to carry out more attacks “until Islamic Sharia law is implemented” in the Muslim-majority country, reported AFP.Police said the vehicle caught fire following the blast and was quickly engulfed in flames. The site was subsequently sealed off by authorities who launched a probe to determine the cause of the blast.
A heavy contingent of police and security forces rushed to the scene, while rescue teams shifted the injured to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS). Hospital sources said several victims were in critical condition, warning that the death toll could rise.Authorities cordoned off the area and launched an investigation. According to sources, body parts believed to be of the suspected suicide bomber – including a head – were recovered from the site.Naqvi further said, “The attacker stood outside the court for around 12 minutes. He first attempted to go inside the court, but then targeted the police vehicle after he was unable to do so.”He added that an investigation was underway and identifying the attacker was a top priority. “I assure you we will identify him in the next few hours,” he said. “We are investigating this incident from different angles. It is not just another bombing. It happened right in Islamabad,” the minister added.He assured, that things would become clearer in the coming days, adding that those involved would not be spared.Inspector general of Islamabad police Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi and the chief commissioner visited the scene and were briefed on the incident and the ongoing probe. Police said nearby vehicles and motorcycles were also damaged by the explosion and ensuing fire. No group has claimed responsibility so far.In a post on X, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari expressed his condolences to the bereaved families.Country’s defense minister termed the incident as a ‘wake-up call’ for Pakistan, “We are in a state of war. Anyone who thinks that the Pakistan Army is fighting this war in the Afghan-Pakistan border region and the remote areas of Balochistan, today’s suicide attack at the Islamabad district courts is a wake-up call,” he said.“In this environment, it would be futile to hold out greater hope for successful negotiations with the rulers of Kabul,” he added.The blast comes a day after a separate explosion at the Supreme Court cafeteria, reportedly caused by a gas leak in the air-conditioning system, killed a 19-year-old youth and injured 13 others.No official attribution or claim of responsibility has been announced so far. The back-to-back incidents have heightened concern over safety standards and security preparedness in the Pakistani capital.
