Deadly Suicide Blast in Pakistan’s Capital Kills 13

DID Press: At least 13 people were killed and several others injured in a suicide bombing outside a district court in Islamabad on Tuesday morning, authorities said.

According to Pakistan’s interior minister, the attack occurred near the main gate of the G-11 district court complex in the capital. Police officials in Islamabad confirmed that the explosion was of a suicide nature.  Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos and fire, with vehicles engulfed in flames and people fleeing the area in panic.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Defense Minister Khawaja Asif both strongly condemned the attack. In a statement posted on social media platform X, Zardari called the assault a “cowardly and terrorist act” and expressed condolences to the victims’ families. He emphasized the need for national unity and the protection of state institutions.

Defense Minister Khawaja Asif described the incident as a “serious wake-up call” for the country, warning that the threat of terrorism has now spread far beyond Pakistan’s border regions.

“Anyone who believes the army is fighting terrorism only in Balochistan or along the Afghan border must understand that the battlefield is now in the heart of our capital,” he said.

Asif added that the attack has further weakened prospects for meaningful dialogue with Afghan authorities, noting that hopes for successful negotiations under current conditions have all but vanished.