China has strongly condemned the suicide bombing at an imambargah in Islamabad that killed over 30 people, reaffirming support for Pakistan’s efforts to safeguard national security and stability. The attack occurred after Friday prayers, with authorities claiming arrests of facilitators as investigations continue.
China condemned the deadly suicide bombing at an imambargah in Islamabad earlier this week, asserting that it “firmly supports” the Pakistani government in safeguarding national security and stability on Sunday.
“China strongly condemns the attack, opposes any form of terrorism and firmly supports the Pakistani government in safeguarding national security and stability and protecting the safety of the people,” a statement by the Chinese foreign ministry said.
The attack took place inside the mosque at the Imambargah Qasr-i-Khadijatul Kubra, located in the Tarlai area. It left over 30 people dead and more than 100 injured.
Police officials said the blast occurred after Friday prayers, adding that the attacker was stopped at the gate of the mosque, where he detonated his explosive payload.
Videos and photos circulating from the blast site showed several bodies lying near the mosque’s front gate, with people and debris lying across the red-carpeted prayer hall.
Dozens were found wounded and lying in the garden outside the mosque as people called on for help.
Authorities have pointed fingers at Afghanistan and India as the investigation into the incident continues.
Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said yesterday that four facilitators behind the suicide bombing, including the mastermind, had been arrested, saying the suspects were detained in overnight raids in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
He also added that multiple agencies launched an investigation immediately after the blast and carried out operations overnight.
“I want to praise our agencies and the Counter-Terrorism Department in KP that all the people who were linked to the blast, including the masterminds, were arrested before 3am,” he said.
Naqvi claimed that the mastermind was an Afghan national, affiliated with the militant Islamic State (IS) group. “The terrorist involved in the incident got training in Afghanistan. How he was trained, his travel history tells everything,” Naqvi said.
He claimed there were at least “21 terrorist organisations” operating from Afghanistan. He alleged that the mercenaries shifted allegiance “to whoever paid them more”.
“Someone is giving them funds, and they are getting dollars from somewhere,” he said, alleging India was providing funding and targets. “Those who were giving $500 are now giving $1,500… India has increased the funding three times after May,” he said.
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