Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said that Pakistan is in a state of war and Tuesday’s bombing in Islamabad was “a message from Kabul”, to which Pakistan has full strength to respond.
“We are in a state of war. Anyone who thinks that the Pakistan Army is fighting this war in the Afghan-Pakistan border region and the remote areas of Balochistan should take today’s suicide attack at the Islamabad district courts as a wake-up call,” he wrote in a post on X.
The defence minister said it was a war for all of Pakistan, in which the army is giving sacrifices every day and making the people feel secure. “In this environment, it would be futile to hold out greater hope for successful negotiations with Kabul.”
“The rulers of Kabul can stop terrorism in Pakistan, but bringing this war all the way to Islamabad is a message from Kabul, to which — praise be to Allah — Pakistan has the full strength to respond,” he added.
The defence minister’s post came as a suicide attack in the federal capital killed at least a dozen people dead.
A Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) spokesperson said that the blast outside a local court building in G-11 left at least 12 martyred and 30 injured.
Of the injured brought to the hospital, about five injured are in critical condition, the spokesperson added.
The injured reportedly included petitioners and lawyers. The building of the court was vacated after the explosion, those present inside the building were evacuated through the back door of the facility and court proceedings were suspended.
Speaking to the media at the site of the explosion, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said the suicide attack took place at 12:39 pm today as the bomber was trying to enter the courthouse.
“But when he did not get an opportunity, he attacked a police vehicle”.
Noting that Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif has directed to ensure the best medical assistance to those injured, the minister said that the first priority was to identify the suicide bomber.
“Those behind the court attack will be brought to justice,” he noted, adding that evidence will be brought to light soon.
He warned that if someone from another country was involved, it will not be forgiven.
Meanwhile, reports quoted sources as saying that the head of the suspected suicide bomber was found at the site of the explosion. They said the bombing was carried out by India-backed terrorists and the Afghan Taliban proxy Fitna al-Khawarij.