On Tuesday, November 11th, a suicide bomb attack outside a courthouse building in the capital city of Islamabad, Pakistan, resulted in significant casualties. This incident occurred just hours after a military school in the northwest of the country came under attack. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif pointed the finger at arch-rival India, accusing it of supporting terrorism.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi confirmed that a suicide bomber detonated explosives near the entrance of a grassroots courthouse in Islamabad, resulting in at least 12 deaths, 27 injuries, with many of the wounded in critical condition.
The attack took place during lunchtime, with the attacker attempting to enter the courthouse on foot. After waiting near the entrance for 10 to 15 minutes, the bomber chose to detonate the explosives outside the building near a police car, believed to be the attacker’s main target.
Images from the scene showed bloodied people lying near the destroyed police car, one car on fire, and another severely damaged. The authorities swiftly cordoned off the area.
Minister Naqvi emphasized, “We are investigating this incident from various angles. It happened in the heart of Islamabad. No matter who is involved, whether locals or from other countries, they will not be spared.”
Following the attack, Prime Minister Sharif swiftly issued a statement attributing the explosion that resulted in dozens of casualties to armed militants supported by India.
Sharif condemned, “The attacks on Pakistani citizens by Indian-backed terrorist organizations should be condemned.”
However, reports later emerged that the Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for this deadly suicide attack. The rare occurrence of this organization launching an attack in the country’s capital further complicates the regional political accusations.
On Monday, a car bomb explosion near a metro station in Red Fort, New Delhi, India, led to 8 deaths and at least 20 injuries. The explosion inside the car claimed the lives of three to four passengers, but the authorities have yet to determine the cause of the explosion. India has handed over the case to its main counter-terrorism agency, the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, currently on a state visit to Bhutan, publicly vowed, “Those behind the conspiracy will not be spared. All those responsible will be brought to justice.”
On Monday, the security situation in northwestern Pakistan also took a grim turn. Prior to the attack in Islamabad, a suicide bomber detonated a car bomb at the entrance of a military school in South Waziristan near the Afghanistan border, resulting in three deaths.
Subsequently, militants stormed the school. Security officials stated that as of Tuesday afternoon, three armed militants were still hiding within the school grounds, where over 500 students and staff were present.
(Information sourced from The Wall Street Journal and Reuters)