Pakistan Mosque Bombing Near Islamabad Kills 24

The death toll from a massive bombing that ripped through a Shiite mosque on the outskirts of Pakistan's capital during Friday prayers has risen to 24, Pakistani officials said, with nearly 100 people wounded, some of them critically.

Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Irfan Memon and police confirmed that the blast was a deliberate attack and said an investigation was underway. Memon said in a post on X that the number of fatalities had climbed to 24, while hospital officials warned that several of the injured remained in critical condition.

The explosion tore through the sprawling mosque as worshippers were gathered for prayers. Television footage and images shared on social media showed police officers and local residents rushing the wounded to nearby hospitals amid scenes of chaos.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but suspicion is likely to fall on militant organizations such as the Pakistani Taliban or the Islamic State group, both of which have carried out previous attacks on Shiite Muslims, a religious minority in Pakistan. Militants frequently target both security forces and civilians across the country.

Pakistan has experienced a surge in militant violence in recent months, largely attributed to Baloch separatist groups and the Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, which operates separately from but is allied with Afghanistan's Taliban. A regional affiliate of the Islamic State group has also been active.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack in separate statements and expressed condolences to the families of those killed. Both leaders instructed authorities to ensure that all possible medical assistance is provided to the wounded.

"Targeting innocent civilians is a crime against humanity," Zardari said. "The nation stands with the affected families in this difficult time."

Sharif said he had ordered a full investigation, adding, "Those who are responsible must be identified and punished."

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also denounced the bombing and directed authorities to ensure the best possible medical care for the injured.

The attack occurred as Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev was on a two-day official visit to Pakistan and attending an event with Sharif in Islamabad. The venue was several miles from the site of the explosion.

In November, a suicide bomber struck outside a court in Islamabad, killing 12 people. The latest bombing also follows a series of attacks last week in insurgency-hit southwestern Balochistan province, where the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army killed about 50 people.

Pakistan's military said security forces responding to those attacks killed more than 200 militants.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.