Pakistan Confirms Afghan National Responsible for Deadly Islamabad Court Bombing

Islamabad:

Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi revealed on Thursday that the suicide bomber responsible for the devastating Islamabad bombing was identified as an Afghan national.

The deadly attack claimed at least 12 lives on Tuesday when the bomber detonated explosives near the entrance of a court in Islamabad's G-11 area.

Naqvi, who had previously visited the attack site and promised identification of the perpetrator before assigning blame, confirmed the findings during his address to the Senate.

"We have successfully traced the attacker. The suicide bomber has been identified as an Afghan national," Naqvi stated during the Senate session.

The minister further disclosed that the suicide bombers involved in the separate attack on Wana Cadet College in South Waziristan district earlier this week were also from Afghanistan.

He assured that appropriate actions would be taken in response to these incidents.

The Wana Cadet College attack, which occurred on Monday, resulted in six injuries when a suicide bomber detonated explosives at the institution's main gate in South Waziristan, an area bordering Afghanistan.

When questioned outside parliament about potential negotiations with militants, Naqvi firmly rejected the possibility, stating, "How can we talk to them when they are throwing bombs on us? It is not possible."

In a separate statement, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar noted that terrorism has escalated since the Taliban assumed power.

"There is total goodwill from Pakistan, but every week we have to shoulder the dead bodies of our soldiers and people," Dar informed the Senate.

Dar criticized the previous government under Imran Khan, alleging it had allowed Taliban militants to return from Afghanistan after they had fled following military operations in border regions. He claimed that imprisoned Taliban militants were released during Khan's administration.

"More than 100 hardened criminals were set free by the previous regime," Dar asserted.

Meanwhile, security agencies have apprehended two key suspects connected to the Islamabad suicide bombing, according to Geo News. The individuals, identified as a handler and a facilitator, were arrested in separate operations.

The facilitator, who had been residing in Rawalpindi for approximately a month, was captured there, while the handler was detained in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, sources reported.

According to these sources, both the facilitator and the suicide bomber conducted multiple reconnaissance visits to the Judicial Complex prior to executing the attack.

The suspects have been transferred to an undisclosed location for interrogation.

Police sources informed Geo News that a delivery rider employed with an online service transported the attacker to the vicinity of the court for a fare of PKRs 200.

Authorities continue their efforts to track the bomber's movements and connections.