At least 12 people were killed and more than 25 injured after a powerful explosion tore through a car parked near the Islamabad judicial complex on Tuesday afternoon, according to Pakistani media reports. Most of the victims were lawyers present at the court during the busy noon hours.
Officials said the explosion was caused by a suicide attack inside a parked vehicle near the entrance of the Islamabad district court around 12:30 p.m. The blast triggered widespread panic, sending people running for cover. The impact was so strong that the explosion was heard up to six kilometers away.
Pakistan’s Interior Minister said the country was now in a “state of war” following the attack. Security forces quickly sealed off the area, and emergency teams rushed to the site to move the injured to nearby hospitals.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos and destruction, with vehicles damaged and debris scattered across the court premises. “There was smoke, people were screaming, and many were running for their lives,” said a lawyer who was inside the court complex at the time of the blast.
Authorities have launched an investigation into the attack and are working to identify those behind it. No group has yet claimed responsibility.
