At least 31 people were killed in an attack on a mosque in Islamabad on Friday. According to local authorities, the blast occurred during Friday prayers at the Khadijatul Kubra Mosque in the Tarlai Kalan neighbourhood. The explosion left more than 169 people injured, turning several hospitals in the city into emergency centres.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif denounced the incident and expressed deep sympathy for the victims. Police suspect that a suicide attacker detonated the device after being stopped at the mosque’s entrance. Witnesses reported a shootout between the attackers and the mosque’s security forces before the explosive was set off.
Security forces have cordoned off the area and launched an investigation. President Asif Ali Zardari called the attack “a crime against humanity” emphasising that it targeted innocent civilians. The government has put all hospitals in Islamabad and Rawalpindi on high alert to care for the wounded.