PM slams India-backed terrorism as 12 martyred in Islamabad suicide blast

ISLAMABAD: A suicide bombing outside the G-11 District Courts in Islamabad on Tuesday killed 12 people and injured 27.

The explosion occurred at 12:39 pm. Initial reports suggest the suicide bomber attempted to enter the court complex but was thwarted, detonating the device near a police vehicle instead. The discovery of the bomber’s head at the scene confirms the nature of the attack.

The Islamabad Police IG told the media that the bike-riding suicide bomber was waiting at the court’s entry gate but failed to penetrate the security perimeter.

The attack has been claimed by terrorist group Fitna-al-Khawarij (Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan), which is a proxy backed by India and the Afghan Taliban. The TTP also threatened to carry out more attacks.

The death toll was revised from an initial 9 to 12, with 27 injured. Among the injured are three police personnel. A state of emergency was declared at PIMS Hospital, where casualties were transported. Of the 21 injured admitted to the emergency ward, four are in critical condition.

A large police contingent and a forensic team are on the scene to secure evidence and investigate.

The Islamabad police have released the official list of those killed and injured in the attack. The current casualty figures confirm 11 deceased at PIMS, with one victim yet to be identified. Twenty-one injured individuals have been admitted to the hospital, and more casualties were still arriving.

The dead were Iftikhar Ali, son of Sultan Mahmood; Sajjad Shah, son of Lal Chan; Tariq, son of Mir Afzal; Iftikhar, son of Siraj; Subhan-ud-Din; Saqlain, son of Mehdi; Safdar, son of Manzoor; Shah Muhammad, son of Muhammad Khalil; Zubair Ghumman Advocate; Abdullah, son of Fatah Khan, and an unidentified person.

Injured included Mazhar, son of Rozi Khan Advocate; Irshad, ASI, Police Station Ramna

Muntazir, son of Farhat Abbas; Azhar, son of Zafar Iqbal; Adil Kayani, son of Tariq; Alam Zar, son of Sherzada; Yaseen, son of Abdul Kareem; Head Constable Muhammad Imran;

Ehtisham, son of Nazakat; Shumaila, daughter of Anwar Hussain; Naveed Anjum, son of Liaqat; Qaiser Mahmood, son of Chaudhry Muhammad; Malik Maseeh, son of Zahoor; Imran Javed – Constable, Police Station Kohsar; Muhammad Ramzan, son of Muhammad Azam – Balochistan Police; Mir Azam, son of Ghameen Khan; Haider Khan Advocate; Imran, son of Farhan Maseeh; Kazim, son of Nobahar, and two unidentified persons.

A lawyer at the scene, Mohammed Shahzad Butt, said there was a “massive blast”.

“Everyone started running inside out of panic. I have seen at least five dead bodies lying at the front gate,” he told AFP.

An AFP journalist saw paramilitary troops cordoning off the site of the attack, which struck an area that also houses several government offices.

Rustam Malik, another lawyer, told AFP he “heard a loud bang at the gate” as he was entering the complex.

“It was complete chaos, lawyers and people were running inside the complex. I saw two dead bodies lying on the gate and several cars were on fire,” said Malik.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi visited the blast site and issued a stern warning regarding the involvement of elements in Afghanistan. He confirmed that the attacker’s intention was to enter the court premises.

“We have provided evidence to Afghanistan showing how people are trained there and then sent for attacks. If Afghanistan fails to restrain these extremist elements, we will be forced to take action,” Naqvi stated.

He also referenced the recent Wana incident, where communication links were traced to Afghanistan, vowing that those behind this attack “will also be exposed.”

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan also visited the blast site and declared it an “attack on Pakistan,” stating, “there will be no politics on terrorism.” He expressed full solidarity with the nation’s security agencies in the war against terrorism.

The Supreme Court Bar Association also condemned the attack.

In a statement, SCBA President Haroon ur Rashid and Secretary Malik Zahid Aslam Awan said an incident of this magnitude in the heart of the federal capital raises serious concerns regarding the safety of the legal community as well as of the common citizens.

Acknowledging the efforts of the security forces against extremist groups, they emphasised that it is imperative to hold accountable those who seek to disrupt peace and instill fear within our communities.

The Islamabad Bar Council, in a statement, has strongly condemned the suicide attack outside the Judicial Complex and announced a three-day strike from Wednesday.

The District Bar Association Rawalpindi also announced a complete strike and judicial boycott for Wednesday, November 12. The association’s president condemned the bombing and demanded prompt action against those responsible for the attack and any perceived security negligence.

Hours before the blast, threatening social media posts originated from Afghanistan, including messages like “Coming soon Islamabad” from accounts linked to the Taliban. Authorities believe the Islamabad and Wana attacks reflect a collaborative effort by Pakistan’s adversaries to destabilise the country.

Meanwhile, President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a meeting and discussed the overall security and political situation in the country.

The premier called on the president at Aiwan-e-Sadr.

While condemning the recent acts of terrorism, the two leaders reaffirmed that operations against foreign-sponsored terrorists and their facilitators would continue until terrorism is completely eliminated from the country. They also discussed matters of national importance.

The president also hosted a dinner for parliamentarians which was also attended by PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, MNAs and senators of all coalition parties.

Meanwhile, President Zardari strongly condemned the suicide attack and expressed his condolences and sympathies with the bereaved families. He prayed for the early recovery of the injured, President Secretariat Press Wing said in a press release.

The president said that terrorist elements were the enemies of peace and stability of Pakistan, stressing that elimination of foreign backed proxies terrorists was necessary.

He also paid tribute to sacrifices of the law enforcement agencies.

Prime Minister Shehbaz, while strongly condemning the attack, said that time has come that world should condemn such heinous conspiracies of India.

In a statement, the prime minister said that terror attacks by the Indian proxies while using the Afghan soil, on innocent Pakistani citizens are highly condemnable. “India’s ugly face of destroying peace in the region has been badly exposed to the whole world.”

He directed for an investigation into the incident and expressed the resolve that all the responsible will be brought to justice.

He also regretted that Fitna Al Khwarij, while acting from the Afganistan soil, also carried out attack on innocent students in Wana. Both terror attacks are worst examples of India’s state terrorism in the region,” he said.

The prime minister said they would not let the blood of innocent Pakistanis go waste maintaining that such cowardly acts of terrorists cannot shake our resolve against terrorism.

“We will continue the war till complete elimination of the scourge of terrorism and killing of the last terrorist of Fitna-al-Hindustan and Fitna-al-Khawarij,” he said.

Expressing sympathies with bereaved families of those martyred in the terror attack, he prayed for early recovery of injured people.

Senate Chairman Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani also condemned the suicide attack. Describing the incident as a “terrorist and cowardly act,” he said its aim was to destabilise the country and instill fear among innocent civilians.

He added that those involved in such ruthless acts are enemies of humanity and their malicious intentions will never succeed.

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif also warned that Pakistan was fully capable of delivering a befitting response to cross-border terrorism, slamming the Afghan Taliban regime for allowing terror to spill into Islamabad.

“We are in a state of war and anyone who thinks that the Pakistan Army is fighting this war only in the border areas along Afghanistan or in the remote regions of Balochistan should take the suicide attack in Islamabad as a wake-up call,” the defence czar wrote in a post on X.

Khwaja Asif said the armed forces were providing the nation with a “sense of security” through their sacrifices.

The defence minister expressed doubts over the prospects of successful negotiations with the Afghan Taliban regime. “The Kabul leadership can stop terrorism in Pakistan, but bringing this war to Islamabad carries a message from Kabul,” he said.

Condemnations also poured in from foreign diplomatic missions in Pakistan after the suicide blast. They expressed outrage over the terrorist attack, extended condolences to the victims and their families, and rallied behind Pakistan in its fight against terrorism.

In a statement, the US Embassy in Islamabad said the US condemned the suicide attack and all other forms of terrorism and remained committed to supporting Pakistan’s efforts to ensure peace and stability in their nation.

It expressed solidarity with Pakistan in the struggle against terrorism.

“Our condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in today [Tuesday]’s senseless attack. We wish a swift recovery to those injured,” it said.

UK High Commissioner Jane Marriott said her thoughts were with the loved ones of those who had lost their lives in the suicide bombing.

In a message on X (formerly Twitter), she said her government was closely following developments.

“We are aware of an explosion in Islamabad which has reportedly left several people dead. We are closely tracking, and British nationals should monitor travel advice,” she said.

The Chinese Embassy condemned the terrorist attack and extended deepest condolences to the victims and expressed sincere sympathies to their families and the injured.

It also wished for the early recovery of the injured.

Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan Reza Amiri Moghadam also condemned the “inhumane and cowardly attack in the strongest words and extended heartfelt condolences and deepest sympathy” to Pakistani government and brotherly people, particularly the families who had lost their loved ones.

In a message on X, he noted that terrorism was the ominous design of cowardly elements who sought to destabilise the region and obstruct its path toward the sustainable development objectives.

“This chronic plight, imported and fueled by malicious machinations, is a shared menace across the region, where traitorous elements, hand in hand with international terrorism, target peace, security, and stability.

“Confronting this ominous phenomenon demands collective, determined, and united efforts by all countries to uproot every form of terrorism and violent extremism that has claimed the lives of countless innocent people over the past decades,” he said.

Also, the European Union Delegation to Pakistan said it was deeply saddened and appalled by the tragic loss of lives in the terrorist attack.

“The EU unequivocally condemns terrorism in all its forms. Our thoughts are with the bereaved Pakistani families, and we wish a swift recovery to all those injured,” it said in a message on X.

The Embassy of the Netherlands also offered its deepest condolences to the families of the victims of the blast and said its thoughts were with those affected by the tragic event. It wished the injured a speedy and full recovery.

Some European missions retweeted the EU’s statement, showing solidarity with Pakistan after the terrorist attack.

The Australian High Commission said it stood in solidarity with the people of Pakistan following the suicide attack in Islamabad.

“Our thoughts are with the victims and their families, and with all working to keep communities safe,” it said in a message.

The Russian embassy in Pakistan also strongly condemned the terrorist attack in Islamabad. “We hope that those who organised this attack will be identified and brought to justice. We express our condolences to the families and friends of the victims and wish all those injured a speedy recovery”.

Afghan Taliban regime condemned the terror attacks in Pakistan, while India denied any role in backing terrorism, Reuters reported. India unequivocally rejects the baseless and unfounded allegations being made by an obviously delirious Pakistani leadership,” said India’s foreign ministry. The Taliban administration in Kabul said in a statement that it “expresses its deep sorrow and condemnation” of the attacks. A spokesman did not respond to a request for comment on Pakistan’s accusations. Kabul denies that its territory is used for attacks on other countries.

Meanwhile, security forces have successfully rescued all students and teachers from Cadet College Wana under attack by a group of terrorists as the clearance operation entered the conclusive phase on Tuesday, sources said.

According to security sources, the operation will now be carried out comprehensively to its logical conclusion. The cautious approach was necessary due to the presence of Afghan Khawarij inside the college and the paramount need to ensure the safety of the cadets’ lives, they added. “Operation will continue until the last terrorist is eliminated,” the security source claimed.

Speaking to journalists earlier, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi confirmed that at least three people were martyred during the ongoing operation.

“Terrorists tried to take people hostage inside the cadet college but did not succeed,” he said, adding that attackers were in contact with their handlers in Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, security sources said all terrorists, including the three cornered, had been killed, adding all students and teachers remained safe, reports Geo News at midnight.

A day earlier, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that Indian-backed terrorists attacked Cadet College Wana, with security forces eliminating two attackers and trapping three inside.

Meanwhile, security forces in a statement earlier on Tuesday said that an operation was underway against terrorists, belonging to an Indian proxy, Fitna al-Khwarij, who took shelter inside Wana Cadet College.

They said that the terrorists had targeted the college with a vehicle-borne explosive device, which struck the main gate and damaged nearby buildings. Two militants were killed during an immediate response by the security forces.

“The militants were receiving instructions from Afghanistan and are hiding in a building located far from cadet residences,” said security sources.

The sources said that at the time of the attack, approximately 650 individuals, including 525 cadets, were inside the college.

Aimed at instilling fear amongst the young generation of erstwhile tribal areas who are acquiring quality education at their doorstep to excel in life and achieve a better future for not only themselves and their families but also for their communities.

“This blatant act of barbarism orchestrated by Khwarij from Afghanistan is in contrast to assertions made by the Afghan Taliban regime claiming non-presence of these terrorist groups on their soil. Pakistan reserves the right to respond against terrorists and their leadership present in Afghanistan,” the military said.