Pakistan Suicide Attack: 12 Dead, 20 Injured in Powerful Car Explosion Near Islamabad Court, Videos Surface
Synopsis
At least 12 people were reportedly killed and 20-25 injured after a powerful explosion ripped through a car near the Islamabad judicial complex on Tuesday, according to Pakistani media .
At least 12 people were killed and around 20 to 25 others injured after a powerful explosion tore through a car near the Islamabad Judicial Complex on Tuesday afternoon, according to Pakistani media reports. The blast occurred in the G-11 area, sending shockwaves across the city. Security forces quickly cordoned off the area, and rescue operations are underway.
Several Pak media reports said that the explosion took place due to a gas cylinder blast while several reports claimed it was a suicide attack.
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Islamabad blast: Panic at district court during midday attack
A powerful explosion struck near the entrance of the Islamabad district court around 12:30 pm on Tuesday, during peak business hours, causing panic among lawyers and court staff. The blast, suspected to be a suicide attack, was so strong it was heard up to six kilometres away. Several vehicles parked nearby were destroyed, and many of the injured were legal professionals working in the complex.
The attack came just hours after Pakistani security forces foiled a Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) assault at Cadet College Wana in South Waziristan, killing two militants. Authorities are investigating possible links between the two incidents. Pakistan has struggled for years with the growing threat of the TTP, whose cross-border operations have intensified since the Taliban’s return to power in Kabul, straining Islamabad’s relations with Afghanistan.
Blast near Red Fort in Delhi on Monday
The incident came just hours after a similar car explosion near Delhi’s Red Fort on Monday evening, which killed several people and injured many more. The Delhi Police suspect that blast to be a ‘fidayeen’ (suicide) attack involving an improvised explosive device. Authorities in both countries have heightened security amid fears of possible coordinated or inspired attacks.