Islamabad: Pakistani leaders strongly condemned a suicide attack that ripped through a religious site in Islamabad and vowed to bring the "extremists to full account." The explosion hit an Imambargah, a Shia Muslim worship place in Islamabad's Shehzad Town area, killing at least 31 people and injuring 169 others.

According to Anadolu Agency, President Asif Ali Zardari expressed 'deep grief and regret' over the explosion, as stated by the Pakistan People's Party on US social media company X. Zardari emphasized that targeting innocent civilians is a crime against humanity and directed authorities to provide the injured with the best possible medical care.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, while condemning the blast, instructed Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi to conduct a thorough investigation and swiftly identify those responsible. He asserted that the perpetrators of the blast must be identified and brought to justice, emphasizing that no one will be allowed to spread violence and instability in the country.

Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also condemned the suicide attack on innocent worshippers during Friday prayers at the Shia Imambargah in Islamabad, calling it a heinous crime against humanity and a violation of Islamic principles. Dar vowed that this act of barbarity will not intimidate the nation, and extremists will be brought to full account.

Mosharraf Zaidi, Prime Minister Sharif's spokesman, stated that the attack in Islamabad is part of a series of terrorist attacks orchestrated by India. He declared that India's terrorist proxies will neither slow down economic recovery, divide Pakistani hearts, nor undermine Pakistan's growing diplomatic capital. New Delhi had not yet reacted to the allegations made by Islamabad.

Earlier, Islamabad district administration officials reported that the death toll from the explosion rose to 31, with 169 others injured. This data was initially shared on its official account on X but was later deleted. The figures have been cited by multiple local news outlets.