At least 15 people were killed and around 80 others injured after a powerful blast ripped through an Imambargah in Islamabad on Friday, according to Pakistani media reports. The explosion took place at the Terlai Imambargah in the Shehzad Town area, triggering panic during prayers. Sources cited by local television channels said the attack was a suicide bombing that targeted a Shia congregation hall around the time of Friday prayers. 

Police and emergency responders rushed to the scene, launching rescue and evacuation operations as injured victims were shifted to nearby hospitals.

Following the blast, an emergency was declared at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, as hospitals struggled to cope with the influx of casualties. Security forces cordoned off the area and began investigations into the attack.

The incident comes just days after deadly clashes between Pakistani security forces and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), which resulted in heavy casualties on both sides, underscoring the deteriorating security situation in the country. This marks the second major blast in Islamabad in recent months. In November, a suicide attack in Pakistan’s federal capital killed at least 12 people, raising concerns about the resurgence of militant violence even in heavily guarded areas.

Pakistan continues to grapple with a long-running separatist insurgency in Balochistan, where armed groups frequently target security personnel, non-local Pakistanis and foreign nationals. The mineral-rich province, bordering Afghanistan and Iran, has witnessed renewed unrest following a series of coordinated militant attacks, with violence increasingly spilling beyond its borders.