A suicide blast at an Imam Bargah in Terlai, Islamabad has left dozens dead and many injured, prompting an immediate emergency response at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS). PIMS officials initially reported that 28 dead bodies and 105 wounded were brought to the hospital, and later district authorities said the toll rose to 31 fatalities and 169 injured as hospitals continued to receive victims.
Among the dead is Farman Ali Bosan, the brother of National Technical Adviser for the Polio Program, Dr Altaf Bosan. Farman Ali Bosan, a retired education officer, was attending Friday prayers at the Imam Bargah when the blast occurred. His son and several cousins were also wounded. Farman Ali Bosan’s funeral and burial are scheduled to be held in Islamabad, and Dr Altaf Bosan immediately halted official polio campaign activities in Karachi to travel to Islamabad on receiving the news.
PIMS declared a high alert and issued emergency instructions to general surgery, neurosurgery and orthopedics departments while calling in additional medical staff to handle the influx. Hospital authorities said that the remains of the deceased brought to PIMS were returned to their families and that large numbers of young volunteers arrived at the hospital to donate blood for the wounded. Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal flew urgently from Karachi to Islamabad to review medical arrangements and the care being provided to the injured.
The federal and local administrations moved rapidly: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Minister of State Talal Chaudhry visited the scene, accompanied by the federal secretary interior, the chief commissioner of Islamabad and the IG Islamabad Police. They led prayers at the Imam Bargah, expressed sorrow for the victims and ordered a full investigation. The interior minister said those behind the attack seek to undermine national unity and warned of foreign backing for such elements. Rawalpindi police were placed on high alert, with operational commanders and field officers instructed to bolster security at mosques, imambarghas and other public sites.
Religious leaders and the Islamabad Peace Committee strongly condemned the attack, urging unity across all schools of thought and stressing that such incidents will not weaken the nation. The Islamabad Bar Association announced a day of mourning and a strike while calling for a thorough inquiry and accountability for those involved. In a personal toll, Sub-Inspector Syed Ishtiaq Hussain Shah’s cousin Hasan, a relative who was also present at the Imam Bargah, was killed and his body was being taken to Mansehra for burial.
Authorities continue to treat the injured at PIMS and elsewhere, strengthen security measures across the capital region, and pursue investigations into the Terlai blast as the city mourns those lost and seeks answers about the attack.
