Web Desk A suicide bomber killed at least 31 worshippers and wounded several others after detonating explosives inside a mosque in the Tarlai area of Pakistan’s capital, government sources said on Thursday, marking one of the deadliest attacks on a place of worship in recent months.
Rescue teams rushed the injured to nearby hospitals while security forces sealed off the area and launched a search operation. Authorities said the blast occurred during prayers, amplifying the toll among civilians.
Officials said investigators have identified the suicide bomber and traced his movements prior to the attack. According to verified intelligence shared by government sources, the attacker received training for terrorist operations in Afghanistan and had traveled there multiple times.
The bomber returned from Afghanistan only recently, officials added, describing the cross-border movements as a key focus of the ongoing investigation.
Government sources said multiple militant groups operating from Afghanistan pose a threat to regional security and alleged that such groups function under the protection of the Taliban administration. Pakistan has repeatedly raised concerns about militant sanctuaries across the border, calling for concrete steps to prevent attacks launched against its territory.
Officials further alleged that terrorist attacks inside Pakistan involve coordination between networks based in Afghanistan and India, an assertion New Delhi has previously denied.
Despite the attack, government sources said the nation remains united against militancy and violence. They stressed that assaults on mosques and civilians would not weaken Pakistan’s resolve to counter terrorism.
“Attacks on innocent worshippers are cowardly and will not break the determination of the Pakistani people,” a government source said, adding that security operations would continue to target militant networks and their facilitators.
Authorities said further details would be shared as the investigation progresses.
