A suicide attack at an imam bargah in Tarlai, Islamabad resulted in the deaths of 31 people and left scores injured, officials confirmed. The Islamabad Imam Bargah Blast prompted an immediate emergency response across city hospitals and law enforcement agencies.
At the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), emergency director Imran Sikandar reported that 28 dead bodies were brought to the hospital and 105 wounded were admitted, while official tallies across hospitals later put the total number of injured at 169. Young volunteers turned out in large numbers to donate blood for the victims.
Among the deceased was Farman Ali Bossan, brother of Dr Altaf Bossan, the National Technical Advisor for the polio program. Farman Ali Bossan was a retired education officer and was attending Friday prayers at the imam bargah when he was killed; his son and several cousins were wounded. Funeral prayers for Farman Ali Bossan will be held in Islamabad, and Dr Altaf Bossan immediately left Karachi, suspending polio campaign duties, to return to the capital upon receiving the news.
PIMS declared a high alert and issued emergency orders to general surgery, neurosurgery and orthopedic departments while calling in additional medical staff to treat the wounded. Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal travelled urgently to Islamabad from Karachi to review treatment arrangements and hospital facilities for the injured.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, returning from Dubai, visited the Tarlai imam bargah along with Minister of State Talal Chaudhry, Federal Secretary Interior Khurram Agha, Chief Commissioner Muhammad Ali Randhawa and IG Islamabad Ali Nasir Rezvi. Officials led prayers at the site, inspected the scene and condemned the attack. The interior minister said the perpetrators would be brought to justice, ordered a full investigation and warned of foreign backing for those carrying out such acts.
Rawalpindi police were placed on high alert with CPO Syed Khalid Mahmood Hamdani directing SSP Operations, divisional SPs, SDPOs and SHOs to increase field deployments, check security at imambarghs and mosques and brief officers on SOPs. The Islamabad Bar Association announced a day of mourning and a strike, calling for a thorough probe and accountability for those responsible.
Families of fallen officers were also affected: Hasan, a cousin of Sub Inspector Syed Ishtiaq Hussain Shah, was among the dead and will be buried in Mansehra; the sub inspector escorted the body for burial. Religious leaders representing diverse schools of thought strongly condemned the incident and urged unity, stressing that such attacks will not weaken national resolve in the face of terrorism.
