New Delhi/Islamabad:  As per news reports, atleast 31 people were killed and more than 130 injured after a suicide bomber targeted a Shia mosque in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad on Friday, marking the deadliest terror attack in the city since the 2008 bombing of the Marriott Hotel that claimed 60 lives.

The explosion occurred at the Imam Bargah Qasr-e-Khadijatul Kubra mosque in the Tarlai area on the outskirts of Islamabad shortly after Friday prayers. According to Pakistani police officials, the attacker was intercepted at the mosque gate and detonated himself, causing heavy casualties among worshippers. Authorities said the death toll was likely to rise.

No militant group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack. In a controversial statement, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif alleged that the suicide bomber had travelled to Afghanistan in the past and accused India of sponsoring the attack, without presenting any evidence. India firmly rejected the allegation. Condemning the bombing, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said it was “unfortunate that instead of seriously addressing problems plaguing its own social fabric, Pakistan should choose to delude itself by blaming others.” The MEA reiterated that India has consistently been a victim of cross-border terrorism and has repeatedly called on Pakistan to take credible and irreversible action against terror groups operating from its soil.

The attack underscores Pakistan’s continuing struggle with sectarian violence, particularly targeting the Shia community, and raises renewed questions about the country’s internal security and counter-terrorism framework.