A suicide bomber struck outside the District Judicial Complex in Islamabad, Pakistan killing at least 12 people and injuring 30 others, government says.
According to international reports, the explosion occurred around 12:39 p.m. local time, near the entrance of the court building, when the suicide bomber attempts to attack the district courthouse but was unable to get inside.
Instead, the attacker detonated the bomb in a police vehicle nearby.
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the bombing and extended his condolences to the families of the victims: “President Asif Ali Zardari strongly condemned the suicide blast near Islamabad District Judicial Complex, expressed deep condolences with the bereaved families, prayed for early recovery of the injured, and paid tribute to law enforcement agencies.”
Meanwhile, the Pakistani government minister blamed the attack on foreign actors, claiming it originated in Afghanistan with support from India, which the two nations strongly denied.
“Both attacks are the worst examples of Indian state terrorism in the region… It is time for the world to condemn such nefarious conspiracies of India,” Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said.
It can be recalled that Pakistan and India have had longstanding tensions since their independence, with renewed confrontations last May this year.
Tensions also flared along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border last month.
Following the blast, the country’s defence minister also declared that the country was in a state of war and vowed retaliation.
“We are in a state of war… This is a war for all of Pakistan, in which the Pakistan Army is giving daily sacrifices and making the people feel secure… to which — praise be to God — Pakistan has the full strength to respond,” Defence Minister Khawaja Asif stated.
Meanwhile, local police have recovered body fragments of the bomber and are working to confirm the identity as investigations continue.