Four Arrested in Connection with Deadly Pakistan Mosque Blast

Sun Feb 08 2026 00:39:41 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Four individuals, including an alleged mastermind, have been arrested following a suicide bombing at a Shia mosque in Pakistan that resulted in over 30 fatalities. The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack.

In a tragic incident, a suicide bombing targeting a Shia mosque in Pakistan claims the lives of more than 30 people, leading to the arrest of four suspects, including an Afghan national suspected of masterminding the attack. The incident marks one of the deadliest attacks in Islamabad in over a decade and has prompted calls for increased security measures within the capital. Thousands gathered to mourn the victims, as officials condemn the violence and pledge to fortify public safety.

Four people have been arrested on suspicion of facilitating a suicide bombing that killed more than 30 people on Friday, Pakistan's interior minister has said.

Mohsin Naqvi said an Afghan national who is alleged to be the mastermind behind the attack was among those detained. One counter-terrorism officer was killed and three more were wounded in the raids to arrest the suspects, he added.

The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the bombing that targeted Friday prayers at the Shia mosque in the Tarlai area, when it was packed with worshippers.

More than 160 people were injured in the blast, which was the deadliest in the capital for more than a decade.

Huge crowds were seen in the city on Saturday, as thousands of mourners gathered for the funerals of the bombing's 32 victims. Funeral prayers took place amid tightened security, with soldiers standing guard and police checkpoints set up in key areas.

Ashiq Hussain, who lost his 21-year-old nephew Mujtaba Ali in the attack, expressed his devastation, stating his family was 'broken.'

The country's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack, expressing 'deep grief', as President Asif Ali Zardari decried the targeting of innocent civilians as a crime against humanity.

Eyewitness accounts reveal the chaos immediately following the explosion, with people reporting intense panic and numerous injuries. In the aftermath, Naqvi accused India of funding those behind the attack; however, India has dismissed these accusations as baseless.

Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif also suggested that the Afghan Taliban may have ties to the incident, prompting a response from Afghan officials who labeled the allegations as unfounded.

In response to the rising violence, Naqvi has pledged to bolster security in Islamabad, including the recruitment of additional police personnel and enhancing the city’s security infrastructure.

The mosque blast follows a week of violence in the region, echoing the ongoing challenges faced by Pakistan amidst rising insurgent activities.