Dozens killed in explosion at religious site in Pakistan's capital Islamabad

A suicide attack targeting a religious site in Pakistan's capital Islamabad on Friday killed at least 31 people and wounded scores of others, officials said.

The attacker hit Imambargah Khadijah-tul-Kubra, a worship place for Shia Muslims, during Friday prayers. It is located in the Shehzad Town area of Islamabad.

Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said on US social media company X that security guards challenged the attacker, who in response opened fire and blew himself up in the last row of worshippers. He also alleged India and Afghanistan's involvement in the attack.

A statement by Islamabad's district administration on X confirmed the attack killed 31 people.

In an earlier statement, the administration said 169 others were injured, who were being treated at nearby hospitals.

Authorities declared emergency at hospitals, and the site of the explosion was completely sealed off.

Video footage and images showed many people on the ground after the explosion, surrounded by shards of glass and debris.

Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar described it a "cowardly suicide attack on innocent worshippers during Friday prayers at a Shia Imambargah in Islamabad." He vowed to punish the "extremists."

The attack was also condemened by several other officials, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Zardari, as well as foriegn missions.

Mosharraf Zaidi, Prime Minister Sharif's spokesman for foreign media, said the attack "is only the latest in a series of murderous terrorist attacks orchestrated by India."

"India's terrorist proxies will neither slow down economic recovery, nor divide Pakistani hearts, nor undermine Pakistan's growing diplomatic capital," Zaidi said on X.

The Afghan Foreign Ministry also condemned the attack. "The Islamic Emirate considers attacks that violate the sanctity of mosques & sacred religious rites," ministry spokesperson Abdul Qahar Balkhi said on X.

There was no immediate reaction from New Delhi.

No group had claimed responsibility by the time this report was published.