A suicide bombing at a Shiite mosque in the Pakistani capital killed at least 31 people and wounded 169 others during Friday prayers, local media reported on February 6.

The attack targeted the Khadija Tul Kubra mosque in the Tarlai Kalan area on the city’s outskirts, targeting people going to Friday Prayers in the latest attack on the smaller group in the country. Witnesses described scenes of chaos as ambulances transported blood-soaked survivors, including several children, from the blast site.

Local security officials said the assailant was intercepted by guards at the building entrance.

The attacker subsequently detonated an explosive device at the gate, which likely prevented the individual from entering the crowded main prayer hall and caused a higher number of casualties.

Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Esmail Baghaei strongly condemned the terrorist act in the Tarlai district, according to the Iranian Students' News Agency on February 6.

Baghaei expressed his condolences to the victims' families and the Pakistani government, noting that combatting terrorism requires intensified regional cooperation.

Tehran reasserted its principled stance against all forms of violent extremism. The spokesperson wished for the swift recovery of the injured and called for the identification and prosecution of those who organised and financed the strike.

Emergency protocols were implemented at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) and other major hospitals across Islamabad to manage the influx of victims.

No group has immediately claimed responsibility for the incident, though police sources indicated the suspect may have links to militant organisations active in the region.

President Asif Ali Zardari described the targeting of innocent civilians as a crime against humanity.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered an immediate and thorough investigation into the security breach.