An explosion rocked Imambargah Khadijah al-Kubra in Islamabad’s Tarlai area during Friday prayers, killing at least 31 worshippers and injuring 169 others, according to a district administration spokesperson. As news of the attack spread, condolences poured in from across Pakistan.
Actor Nadia Jamil shared an Instagram story asking for God’s mercy on those affected. She was not alone; actor Osman Khalid Butt also posted, calling for accountability and urging thoughts and prayers from authorities were insufficient. He demanded that perpetrators be brought to justice.
RJ Anoushey Ashraf echoed her sentiment in a subsequent Instagram story, praying for the souls of the deceased and asking for healing for the wounded. Actor Humaima Malik shared an Instagram post expressing her thoughts with those who had lost loved ones, appealing for prayers for the injured at Islamabad hospitals.
Other celebrities like Aiman Khan and singer Annular Khalid also posted about the explosion, calling for donations of blood to assist in treating victims at local hospitals.
Islamabad Capital Territory Police Spokesperson Taqi Jawad indicated that it was too soon to determine the nature of the blast. However, he suggested a suicide bomber might be responsible, given previous attacks on public places. The district administration spokesperson said the site had been sealed off by security personnel.
Police and Rescue 1122 teams rushed to the scene upon detonation, initiating rescue operations. An emergency was also imposed at Islamabad’s Polyclinic, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, and CDA Hospital.
Police in neighboring Rawalpindi have since heightened alert levels, following the recent incident. This attack marks a resurgence of such threats after another targeted a district court building in November, resulting in 12 deaths and over 30 injuries.