Suicide Bombing at Islamabad District Judicial Complex

Islamabad, Pakistan — At about 12:30pm (07:30 GMT) on Tuesday, a suicide attacker detonated explosives at the entrance of the District Judicial Complex in Islamabad, killing at least 12 people and wounding more than 30, several critically, according to official figures.

Scenes of panic and destruction

Witnesses inside the complex — which they estimated held roughly 2,000 people at the time, including judges, lawyers, litigants and court staff — described instant chaos. "I first thought that the roof was coming down," 25-year-old lawyer Khalid Khan told reporters a few hours later. Videos circulating on social media showed flames and smoke rising from a charred vehicle near a security barrier and shattered windows in nearby courtrooms.

"It was complete pandemonium," said Muhammad Shehzad Butt, a 52-year-old lawyer. "In the panic most people tried to rush out, causing chaos at the gate, while others pushed back inside."

Witnesses and officials said human remains were scattered at the scene. Authorities quickly sealed the area, set up barriers to keep bystanders and media at a distance, and conducted an initial investigation at the blast site.

Political fallout and accusations

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif blamed what he described as "India-backed proxies" operating from Afghanistan for the attack. India rejected the accusation as "baseless and unfounded." Randhir Jaiswal, a spokesperson for India’s Ministry of External Affairs, said Pakistan was attempting to divert public attention from internal political issues, a reference to debate over a proposed 27th constitutional amendment.

The proposed amendment has drawn criticism from activists, sitting judges and opposition parties because it would grant lifelong immunity from criminal prosecution to the country’s most senior military officers and create a parallel Federal Constitutional Court, which critics say could undermine the Supreme Court.

Security and eyewitness details

Several witnesses reported that security checks at the court entrance that morning had been more thorough than usual. Khalid said he and his friend Fawad Khan had faced extra screening and initially assumed a VIP visit or delegation was expected. With the main gate locked immediately after the blast, police first instructed people inside to stay put; they were allowed to leave about 25 minutes later.

A large number of journalists gathered outside the compound but were initially kept from entering the cordoned-off area. While most litigants left the scene, some lawyers remained to give interviews and record eyewitness accounts.

Resilience amid grief

Despite the deaths—including at least one lawyer—several court staff and lawyers said they intended to return to work. "We have seen enough of this," Khalid said. "These things don’t scare us." Authorities continue to investigate the attack and have not publicly identified responsibility beyond the initial statements from political leaders.

Note: Casualty figures and details are based on official statements and eyewitness reports available at the time of publication and may be updated as investigations progress.