Police explained in a statement that an explosion occurred during Friday prayers at the Khadijat-ul-Kubra mosque, located in the Tarlai area of ​​the federal capital.

According to authorities, a person detonated an explosive device when he was detained at the entrance of the mosque.

In a post on X, the Deputy Commissioner of Islamabad, Irfan Nawaz Memon, confirmed the number of dead and wounded as a result of the explosion.

Meanwhile, police, Pakistani army troops, and Rangers have cordoned off the area, and security operations are underway at the site of the explosion and its surroundings.

The country’s authorities, including President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, condemned the attack, expressed their deep sorrow and grief for the victims, and prayed for the recovery of the injured.

News outlets suggested the attack may be related to recent attacks in Balochistan by the so-called Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), which killed 36 innocent civilians, including women and children, as well as 22 members of the security and law enforcement forces.

A day earlier, the Armed Forces Public Relations Department (ISPR) reported that security forces killed 216 suspected terrorists in various coordinated operations.

abo/arm/mem/lrd