Today's Edition
ISLAMABAD (NEW YORK TIMES)
A suicide bomber killed 31 people at a mosque on the outskirts of Islamabad and injured at least 150 others, according to the police and hospital officials.
The bombing was the second major attack in the Pakistani capital in recent months, after a bomber killed at least 12 people and wounded dozens near a courthouse in November.
The attack occurred during Friday prayers on the southeastern edge of Islamabad. Police officials said the attacker was stopped and challenged by guards at the entrance and then ran farther into the compound before detonating explosives near the last line of worshipers.
Earlier Friday, Pakistan's defence minister, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, told The New York Times in a text message that the attacker was a Pakistani national but said it was “not yet determined” what group was responsible for the attack.
Several of the wounded lay on the lawn outside the building as rescue workers arrived to ferry the dead and wounded to nearby hospitals. Hospitals across Islamabad were placed in a state of emergency, and officials appealed for blood donations. Several of the wounded were in critical condition, health officials said.
In a statement, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack, expressing sorrow over the loss of life and offering condolences to the families of the victims. He directed the Interior Ministry to conduct a full investigation.
