Four people have been arrested on suspicion of facilitating a suicide bombing that killed more than 30 people on Friday, Pakistan's interior minister has said. Mohsin Naqvi stated that one Afghan national, alleged to be the mastermind behind the attack, was among those detained. Sadly, one counter-terrorism officer was killed and three others wounded during the attempts to arrest the suspects. The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the bombing, which targeted Friday prayers at the Shia mosque in the Tarlai area while it was filled with worshippers. The blast has left over 160 people injured, marking it as the deadliest attack in the capital for more than a decade. On Saturday, large crowds filled the streets of Islamabad as thousands came together to mourn the victims of this tragic incident. Funeral prayers took place amid heightened security, with soldiers standing guard and police checkpoints set up in vital areas.
Ashiq Hussain, who lost his 21-year-old nephew Mujtaba Ali in the attack, expressed his family's devastation to reporters, stating they were 'broken.' Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has expressed his 'deep grief' over the incident, while President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the targeting of innocent civilians as a 'crime against humanity.' Eyewitness accounts reveal harrowing details of the explosion, with survivors describing chaos and injuries in the aftermath.
Moreover, Naqvi has accused India of funding those involved in the attack, a claim rebuffed as 'baseless' by the Indian foreign ministry. Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif also suggested Afghanistan's potential involvement, which the Afghan Taliban government called 'regrettable' without providing evidence.
In response to the increased violence, including coordinated attacks that had claimed 58 lives prior to the mosque bombing, Naqvi has promised to bolster security in Islamabad by recruiting thousands of new police officers and enhancing the city's smart security systems.
Ashiq Hussain, who lost his 21-year-old nephew Mujtaba Ali in the attack, expressed his family's devastation to reporters, stating they were 'broken.' Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has expressed his 'deep grief' over the incident, while President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the targeting of innocent civilians as a 'crime against humanity.' Eyewitness accounts reveal harrowing details of the explosion, with survivors describing chaos and injuries in the aftermath.
Moreover, Naqvi has accused India of funding those involved in the attack, a claim rebuffed as 'baseless' by the Indian foreign ministry. Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif also suggested Afghanistan's potential involvement, which the Afghan Taliban government called 'regrettable' without providing evidence.
In response to the increased violence, including coordinated attacks that had claimed 58 lives prior to the mosque bombing, Naqvi has promised to bolster security in Islamabad by recruiting thousands of new police officers and enhancing the city's smart security systems.
