Suicide bombing in Islamabad kills 12, says Pakistan’s interior minister

A suicide attack outside a district court in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, has killed 12 people and injured at least 27 more, according to Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi.

Naqvi said the bomber had intended to target the courthouse but was unable to enter the building. The attacker reportedly waited around 15 minutes before detonating the device near a police vehicle.

Footage from the scene showed a burnt-out car and police cordons around the area. The explosion occurred at 12:39 local time (07:39 GMT).

President Asif Ali Zardari strongly condemned the bombing, while Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif accused “extremist groups actively backed by India” of involvement. Delhi has not responded and has previously denied similar allegations.

A lawyer present at the site described “complete chaos” after the explosion: “People were running, cars were on fire, and I saw two bodies at the gate.”

This is the first suicide bombing in Islamabad in three years, though similar attacks have continued in other parts of Pakistan.