Thousands of mourners gathered in Pakistan’s capital on Saturday to attend a mass funeral for victims of a deadly suicide bombing that struck a Shiite mosque during Friday prayers, killing at least 31 people and wounding around 170 others.

The attack took place at the Khadija Tul Kubra Imambargah mosque on the outskirts of Islamabad and was claimed by an affiliate of the so-called “Islamic State” (IS) group. Authorities described it as the deadliest attack in the capital since the 2008 bombing of the Marriott Hotel.

Tens of thousands of people attended the funeral prayers held in an open area near the mosque. Mourners wept openly, beat their chests in traditional Shiite mourning rituals, and carried around 20 coffins for burial. Separate funeral prayers were also held in Dera Ismail Khan for two additional victims.

Shops across Islamabad remained closed, streets were largely deserted, and labor unions called for protests in response to the attack.

“What happened yesterday has left us extremely angry and deeply hurt,” said Bushra Rahmani, whose brother was among those injured.
“Our family is broken. What sin did this young man commit?” asked Ashiq Hussain, mourning his 21-year-old nephew.

Security was significantly tightened across the capital, with police checkpoints set up on major roads and elite commandos deployed to guard sensitive locations amid fears of further attacks.

A local imam presiding over the funeral condemned the perpetrators, calling on God to “burn the terrorists in hell.”

Attack Details
According to Islamabad’s local administration chief Irfan Memon, the suicide bomber opened fire on security guards stationed at the mosque’s main gate before detonating an explosive vest at the inner entrance. Witnesses reported gunfire followed by a powerful explosion that caused panic and chaos.

Unverified videos circulating on social media showed bodies near the mosque’s entrance and injured worshippers — including children — being rushed to ambulances as relatives screamed and cried.

The blast left pools of blood, debris, and torn clothing scattered across the mosque’s prayer hall.

Responsibility for the attack was claimed by Islamic State in Pakistan, a regional IS affiliate, through statements released on Telegram and its Amaq News Agency. The group said the attack targeted Shiite Muslims, whom it accused of supporting rival militias fighting IS in Syria.

Shiites make up an estimated 10–15% of Pakistan’s predominantly Sunni population and have frequently been targeted by extremist groups, including IS and the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Pakistani authorities launched overnight raids in Peshawar, Nowshera, and across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, arresting several suspects, including relatives of the suicide bomber, security sources said.

One militant and at least two law enforcement officers were killed during the operations, while three others were injured. State media reported the arrest of an alleged Afghan IS mastermind, claiming the plot originated in Afghanistan.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi confirmed that four individuals accused of assisting the bomber had been detained.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif vowed to bring those responsible to justice and thanked the United States, Russia, and the European Union for expressing condolences.

Pakistan has experienced a sharp rise in militant violence since the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan in 2021. Just last week, a separatist group carried out coordinated attacks in Balochistan, killing 36 civilians and 22 security personnel, followed by counter-operations that reportedly killed nearly 200 militants.