Islamabad suicide bombing kills 12; Taliban claim of responsibility
Islamabad suicide bombing: At least 12 people were killed in a rare suicide bombing in Pakistan’s capital city of Islamabad on Tuesday, an attack claimed by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The militant group also warned of further strikes, saying it had targeted judges, lawyers, and officials for enforcing what it described as “non-Islamic” laws.
The blast occurred outside a district court complex, creating panic among those present. “Everyone started running inside the building. I saw at least five bodies near the front gate,” said Muhammad Shahzad, a lawyer and eyewitness.
The attack came a day after a car explosion in Delhi killed over ten people and injured around twenty others — incidents that have heightened regional tensions. Pakistan last witnessed a major suicide bombing in December 2022, after which authorities had blamed armed groups allegedly operating from Afghan soil.
In a controversial statement, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif accused India of being behind the Islamabad court bombing. He claimed that India was also involved in Monday’s attack on Wana Cadet College near the Afghan border.
According to Pakistan’s state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP), Sharif alleged that “India-sponsored terrorist proxies” were responsible for both incidents, describing them as “a continuation of state-sponsored terrorism aimed at destabilizing Pakistan.” However, no evidence was presented to support these claims.
Observers have noted that Pakistan, which has long been accused of harboring extremist elements, often shifts blame to India when faced with domestic terror incidents. The country has itself been a breeding ground for militancy in South Asia, exporting terror networks that have now turned inward.
Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have also been on the rise. In October, both nations engaged in cross-border clashes following a series of militant attacks. The United Nations reported that over 70 people were killed on both sides, including 50 Afghan civilians.
As Islamabad reels from the latest suicide bombing, fears are growing over the resurgence of militant violence in Pakistan’s heartland — and over the government’s tendency to externalize blame rather than confront internal threats.
