In brief
A suicide attack occurred outside a district courthouse in Islamabad, Pakistan, leading to 12 fatalities and 27 injuries. The bomber detonated explosives near a police car after waiting several minutes. Authorities are focused on identifying the attacker amidst rare incidents of such violence in the capital in recent years.
A suicide attack outside a court in Pakistan's capital Islamabad has killed 12 people and injured at least 27 more, the country's interior minister said.
Mohsin Naqvi stated that a bomber planned to target the district courthouse but was unable to gain entry.
Authorities are committed to identifying the bomber and ensuring justice is served.
Suicide attacks have been infrequent in Islamabad in recent years. Recent footage shows the site filled with debris from a burnt-out car and a police cordon securing the area.
The injured individuals are currently receiving medical treatment, Naqvi reported.
According to Naqvi, the attacker detonated their bomb near a police vehicle after lingering at the location for approximately 15 minutes.
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari expressed strong condemnation of the suicide blast.
A lawyer, who was parking outside the courthouse during the attack, described the scene as chaotic, recounting the moment of the explosion. Rustam Malik told AFP, it was complete chaos. He further observed, I saw two dead bodies lying on the gate and several cars were on fire.
