At least 31 dead, more than 160 injured in mosque bombing in Pakistani capital

A massive bombing ripped through a Shiite mosque on the outskirts of Pakistan’s capital during Friday prayers, killing 31 people and injuring at least 169 others, police said.

Islamabad police said the blast at the sprawling mosque was an attack and an investigation was underway. Rescuers and witnesses said some of the injured were in critical condition. Television footage and social media footage showed police and residents transporting the injured to nearby hospitals.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the explosion. The Pakistani Taliban and the Islamic State group have been cited in previous attacks because their militants often target security forces and civilians across Pakistan.

Although attacks are not that frequent in Islamabad, Pakistan has seen a surge in militant violence in recent months, largely blamed on Baloch separatist groups and the Pakistani Taliban, known as the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, which is a separate group, but allied with the Afghan Taliban. A regional affiliate of the Islamic State group is also active in the country.

Soon after the blast was first reported with a lower casualty count, Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Irfan Memon gave the latest toll, which was much higher.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack in separate statements and offered condolences to the families of those killed. They ordered that all possible medical assistance be provided to the injured.

“Targeting innocent civilians is a crime against humanity,” Zardari said. “The nation stands with the affected families during this difficult time.”

Sharif said he had ordered a thorough investigation.

“Those responsible must be identified and punished,” he said.

Event with Uzbek president not affected

Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also condemned the attack and asked authorities to ensure provision of the best medical care to the injured.

The attack occurred while Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, on a two-day official visit, attended an event with Sharif. This event in Islamabad took place several kilometers from the blast site.

The last deadly attack of this type in Islamabad dates back to 2008, when a suicide bomber targeted the capital’s Marriott hotel, killing 63 people and injuring more than 250 others. And in November, a suicide bomber struck outside a court in Islamabad, killing 12 people and injuring 27 others.

The latest attack comes almost a week after the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army carried out several attacks in the insurgency-hit southwestern Balochistan province, killing around 50 people.

Security forces responding to these attacks also killed more than 200 “terrorists,” according to the military.