A devastating suicide bombing at a Shi'ite Muslim mosque in Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, killed at least 31 people and injured 169 others during Friday prayers on February 6, 2026. The attack, which occurred when mosques were packed with worshippers, involved an assailant who was reportedly stopped at the mosque gate before detonating the explosive device.

The scene at the mosque was described as horrific, with images showing bloodied bodies scattered across the carpeted floor amidst shards of glass and debris. Dozens of wounded individuals were found lying in the garden outside, as panicked worshippers and residents scrambled for help. Television footage and social media images depicted a chaotic rescue effort, with officers and locals rushing victims to nearby hospitals. Journalists at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences hospital witnessed adults and children arriving on stretchers and in private vehicles, with at least one casualty brought in the boot of a car. Friends and relatives of the injured filled the heavily guarded emergency ward, shouting in distress.

Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Irfan Memon confirmed the escalating death toll, stating, "The death toll in the blast has risen. A total of 31 people have lost their lives. The number of wounded brought to hospitals have risen to 169." Rescuers and witnesses noted that several of the injured were in critical condition, prompting an ongoing police investigation.

Following the attack, Pakistan's leadership strongly condemned the act. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed his "deep grief," while President Asif Ali Zardari extended condolences to the victims, declaring, "Targeting innocent civilians is a crime against humanity." President Zardari also called for all possible medical facilities to be provided to the injured. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi similarly condemned the attack and urged authorities to ensure optimal medical care for the wounded across the capital's hospitals.

The Islamic State (ISIS) later claimed responsibility for the deadly assault via its Telegram channel. This claim emerged amid a diplomatic spat between Pakistan and India. Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif accused India of using "proxies" against Pakistan, alleging connections between India and the Taliban, though he provided no evidence. India's foreign ministry vehemently denied these allegations in a statement on X, condemning the attack and expressing condolences while rejecting Pakistan's "baseless as it is pointless" claims, urging Pakistan to address its "home-grown ills" instead of blaming others.

Bombings are generally rare in Islamabad, a heavily guarded capital. However, Pakistan has experienced a significant increase in militancy in recent years, with militants frequently targeting security forces and civilians nationwide. Past attacks on Shi'ite worshippers have been attributed to groups like the Pakistani Taliban and the Islamic State. This latest incident follows a suicide bombing outside an Islamabad court in November that killed 12, and multiple attacks by the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army in Balochistan province just a week prior, which resulted in approximately 50 deaths and the killing of over 200 alleged terrorists by security forces.