Friday prayers were meant to bring calm. Instead, they ended in chaos.
At least 31 people were killed and 169 injured after a suicide bomber struck a Shia mosque in Islamabad’s Tarlai area.
Detonating explosives just as worshippers gathered inside.
Police say the attacker approached the gate, gunfire rang out—and then came the blast.
In moments, the capital was thrown into emergency mode, with hospitals overwhelmed and urgent calls for blood donors echoing across the city.
“We bowed in prayer, then there was an explosion,” recalled Zaheer Abbas, who survived the attack.
“After that, injured people were lying everywhere.” Images from inside the mosque showed shattered glass and scattered shoes.
Survivors sitting silently amid the wreckage.
Leaders Condemn Attack
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed “deep grief” and ordered a full investigation.
President Asif Ali Zardari called the attack “a crime against humanity,” while conflicting claims quickly followed.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif suggested foreign involvement—an allegation firmly rejected by both Afghanistan and India.
The UN condemned the bombing “in the strongest terms,” urging justice for the victims.
Attacks like this are rare in Islamabad, but not unheard of.
And after a year that saw violence surge nationwide, one question hangs heavy: how many more lives before prayers no longer need armed guards?
