A suicide bombing outside a district court in Islamabad, Pakistan, resulted in the deaths of at least 12 people and injured 27 others on Tuesday. This attack marks the first suicide bombing in the city in several years, causing widespread panic among those in the vicinity, which includes several government offices.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi confirmed the incident, stating, "A suicide attack was carried out. So far, 12 people have been martyred and around 27 are wounded." Eyewitnesses reported a massive explosion that sent people fleeing for safety. Lawyer Mohammed Shahzad Butt described the scene, saying, "Everyone started running inside out of panic. I have seen at least five dead bodies lying at the front gate." Another lawyer, Rustam Malik, recounted hearing a loud bang as he approached the court, adding, "It was complete chaos, lawyers and people were running inside the complex. I saw two dead bodies lying on the gate and several cars were on fire."

The bombing occurred near a police vehicle, and paramilitary troops quickly cordoned off the area. Naqvi indicated that authorities are working to identify the attacker and their origins. No group has claimed responsibility for the bombing yet. However, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif suggested that the attack was linked to "terrorist proxies backed by India," a claim he did not substantiate with evidence.

The attack in Islamabad follows a recent car explosion in New Delhi, India, which killed at least eight people. Sharif also pointed fingers at the Pakistani Taliban and separatist groups from Balochistan, which have historically targeted security forces in the region.

In a related context, Pakistani security forces were engaged in a separate operation against militants in Wana, a city in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where an attack occurred overnight. Naqvi reported that three people died in that incident, which involved an Afghan attacker. He stated, "There was an attack in Wana as well last night. The attacker involved in that attack is an Afghan. Afghanistan is directly involved in that attack."

Islamabad has experienced relative calm in terms of major militant violence in recent years, with the last suicide attack recorded in December 2022. The recent bombing raises concerns about the resurgence of militant activity in the capital and across Pakistan, where tensions with Afghanistan have also escalated in recent months.

The Pakistani Taliban, which has gained strength since the Taliban took control in Afghanistan in 2021, has been linked to a rise in attacks within Pakistan. The group has denied involvement in the recent college attack in Wana, but the situation remains tense as security forces continue to confront militant threats in the region.