Blast outside Islamabad court kills 12; Pakistan blames Afghanistan & India
Key Takeaways
- Suicide bombing kills 12, wounds 27 outside Islamabad court
- Pakistan declares “state of war,” blames Afghanistan and India
- Attack marks first civilian strike in Islamabad in a decade
- Separate school attack near Afghan border ongoing
A suicide bomber killed 12 people and wounded 27 others outside an Islamabad court on Tuesday, marking the first attack on civilians in the capital in ten years and prompting Pakistan to declare a “state of war.” Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif directly blamed Afghanistan for the escalation, vowing retaliation if Kabul fails to rein in militants.
Court Bombing Details
The bomber detonated his device near the court entrance during lunchtime after failing to enter the building. Local media images showed bloodied victims lying near a police vehicle, with one car on fire and another severely damaged. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi confirmed the attacker targeted a police vehicle after being unable to access the court premises. Hospital sources reported several victims in critical condition.
Conflicting Claims of Responsibility
While the main Pakistani militant group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) denied involvement, a TTP-affiliated faction claimed responsibility according to The Khorasan Diary, a regional militant monitoring platform. The attack represents a significant shift as TTP has primarily targeted security forces in recent years, with no civilian attacks in Islamabad for a decade according to conflict tracking data.
Pakistan’s Accusations Against Neighbors
Pakistan directly accused Afghanistan’s Taliban government of supporting the militants, with Interior Minister Naqvi stating: “We are totally clear that Afghanistan has to stop them. In case of a failure, we have no option but to take care of those terrorists who are attacking our country.” Islamabad also implicated India in supporting the militant groups operating from Afghan soil. The Taliban administration in Kabul did not respond to these allegations.
Simultaneous School Attack
Hours before the court bombing, militants stormed a military-run civilian school in Wana near the Afghan border. The attack began Monday when a suicide vehicle rammed the main entrance, killing three people. By Tuesday evening, three militants remained inside the compound as rescue operations continued for trapped students. Naqvi confirmed the school attackers maintained contact with handlers in Afghanistan during the assault.
