Suicide blast at Islamabad judicial complex kills 12, injures 27; Pakistan on high alert

New Delhi: A powerful explosion rocked a judicial complex in Islamabad, Pakistan, on Wednesday afternoon, killing at least 12 people and injuring 27 others. Authorities have confirmed it was a suicide bombing, marking yet another deadly strike amid a renewed wave of militancy in the country.

Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi told reporters the attacker arrived at the judicial complex on foot and attempted to enter the court premises at around 12:39 pm local time. Failing to get past security, the bomber waited near a police vehicle for nearly 10 to 15 minutes before detonating the explosives. The blast occurred at a time when the court complex was crowded with lawyers, litigants, and police personnel.

Visuals broadcast by local media showed scenes of chaos and horror — lawyers in black coats and white shirts sitting stunned on the road, their clothes stained with blood. Several cars were destroyed by the impact, and nearby buildings suffered shattered windows and structural damage.

Officials initially speculated that a car bomb may have been used, but later clarified it was a suicide explosion triggered manually. The loud blast was heard several kilometers away, spreading panic across Islamabad. Rescue teams and security forces quickly cordoned off the area, while emergency services rushed the wounded to nearby hospitals.

No militant group has claimed responsibility so far. However, authorities suspect involvement of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which has intensified attacks across the country in recent months.

Just a day earlier, Pakistani forces claimed to have foiled an attack on an army-run college in the northwestern province, killing six militants including a suicide bomber.

The explosion comes amid rising tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, following cross-border strikes and retaliatory attacks that have strained relations between Islamabad and Kabul.

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