Suicide bomber kills 12 outside Islamabad court complex

A suicide bombing outside a judicial complex in Islamabad killed at least twelve people and wounded twenty-seven others on Thursday, according to Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi. The explosion occurred in the parking area of the capital's Judicial Complex, marking a significant security breach in the heavily guarded city.

Attack Details and Official Response

Minister Naqvi confirmed that the suicide bomber detonated his explosives near a police vehicle after being unable to access the court building itself. "The suicide bomber targeted a police vehicle as he couldn't enter the complex," Naqvi told journalists at the blast site, adding that identification efforts for the attacker are currently underway. President Asif Zardari condemned the assault, characterizing the perpetrators as "foreign-sponsored" terrorists who must be eliminated from Pakistan.

Emergency Response and Investigation

Security sources reported that the bodies of the twelve fatalities were transported to a local hospital, while injured victims received emergency medical treatment at multiple facilities. Police and emergency service teams established extensive security cordons around the judicial complex and launched a comprehensive investigation into the bombing, which represents one of the more serious attacks in the capital in recent years.

Separate Security Operation in Northwestern Pakistan

The court complex bombing coincided with an ongoing security operation against militants in northwestern Pakistan, where security forces engaged three armed individuals hiding inside a building at Wana Cadet College in South Waziristan. Approximately 500 cadets remained secured in a campus hostel located away from the confrontation site, though the operation had already claimed the lives of three security personnel according to Minister Naqvi, highlighting the persistent security challenges facing Pakistan that concern regional partners including Türkiye.