Four Arrested in Connection with Pakistan Mosque Suicide Bombing
Four individuals have been detained on suspicion of facilitating a suicide bombing that resulted in over 30 fatalities on Friday, according to Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi.
Among those arrested is an Afghan national who is alleged to be the mastermind behind the attack. During the operations to apprehend the suspects, one counter-terrorism officer was killed and three others were injured, Naqvi added.
Attack Details and Casualties
The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the bombing, which targeted Friday prayers at a Shia mosque located in the Tarlai area. The mosque was crowded with worshippers at the time of the attack.
The blast resulted in more than 160 injuries and is considered the deadliest incident in the capital city in over a decade.
Public Mourning and Security Measures
On Saturday, large crowds gathered in Islamabad to mourn the 32 victims of the bombing, with thousands attending the funerals.
Funeral prayers were conducted under heightened security, with soldiers deployed for guard duty and police checkpoints established in strategic locations throughout the city.
Ashiq Hussain, who lost his 21-year-old nephew Mujtaba Ali in the attack, expressed his family's grief to .
"Our family is broken," Hussain said.
Official Responses and Eyewitness Accounts
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack on Friday, expressing
"deep grief"over the incident. President Asif Ali Zardari also denounced the bombing, stating that
"targeting innocent civilians is a crime against humanity".
Eyewitnesses and survivors have shared their experiences with the BBC, describing the chaos following the explosion. One witness said he
"lost his senses"immediately after the blast, while another recounted seeing bodies
"lying everywhere".
Accusations and Denials
Announcing the arrests on Saturday, Interior Minister Naqvi accused India of funding the perpetrators and providing them with targets.
The Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the bombing and rejected the allegations, labeling them as
"baseless".
Separately, Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif suggested on Friday that Afghanistan was involved in the attack. The Afghan Taliban government responded by calling Asif's remarks
"regrettable", criticizing him for making allegations without presenting credible evidence.
Security Enhancements Planned
Naqvi has committed to bolstering security in Islamabad by recruiting thousands of new police officers and upgrading the city's smart security infrastructure.
Context of Recent Violence
While attacks are relatively uncommon in the capital, previous incidents include one in November that resulted in 12 deaths and another that injured 27 people.
The recent blast follows a week marked by violence in the province of Balochistan, where coordinated attacks killed 58 civilians.
The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) rebel group claimed responsibility for those attacks. In response, the military reported having killed over 200 militants during ongoing operations against the insurgency in the region.
