Deadly Blast Kills Many Outside Islamabad District Court

A powerful explosion tore through the parking area outside the District and Sessions Court in Islamabad's G-11 sector on Tuesday afternoon, killing at least nine people and injuring over 20 others.

Accoridng to Al Jazeera the blast, which occurred near the main gate during peak hours when lawyers, petitioners, and court staff were present, has been preliminarily described by authorities as a possible suicide attack, with investigators recovering what is believed to be the bomber's head from the scene.

Witnesses to the blast recalled hearing a loud bang, and the chaos that followed thereafter. A lawyer named Rustam Malik reportedly told news agency AFP that he heard the explosion as he was parking his car.

Casualty figures have fluctuated as rescue operations continue, but the latest reports confirm nine fatalities and at least 21 injuries, with many victims in critical condition. The wounded were swiftly transported to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) Hospital in Islamabad, where medical teams are working to stabilize them. Initial police statements reported eight injuries with no immediate deaths, but updates from the scene indicate the toll has risen sharply.

No group has claimed responsibility, but security officials suspect involvement from Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) or one of its affiliates, amid a recent uptick in militant activities in the region. This incident comes just hours after Pakistani forces foiled a separate militant assault on an army-run college in the northwest, highlighting escalating security threats across the country.

The blast in Islamabad comes a day after Pakistani forces reportedly foiled an attempt by militants to take cadets in an army-run college hostage in Wana city of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, near the Afghan border.

According to AP, a suicide car bomber and five other Pakistani Taliban militants targeted the facility in an overnight assault. Wana has long been considered a hub for the Pakistani Taliban, al-Qaida, and other extremist groups.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other leaders have yet to issue official statements, but expectations are high for a firm condemnation and enhanced security measures.