- Minister says attacker did not know Pakistani language.
- Chaudhry says he was also unaware of local currency.
- Islamabad court blast killed 12 and injured over 30.
The suicide bomber who attacked the Islamabad court premises and killed a dozen people was an Afghan national, Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry said on Wednesday.
“I can confirm that the attacker was an Afghan national […] Pakistan is a responsible state and does not blame others needlessly,” the minister said on Geo News’ programme “Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath”.
The deadly blast outside the district court buildings on Tuesday killed 12 and injured more than 30 people, with the district court remaining closed today, and security was stepped up at other court buildings across the city.
“The attacker was neither Pakistani nor did he know the Pakistani language. He did not even have an idea about Pakistani currency,” the state minister mentioned.
Chaudhry, saying that he could not provide further details as it could hamper the investigation, noted that based on concrete evidence, Pakistan blamed India and Afghanistan for attack in the country.
The minister revealed that cab and bike riders, employed with online ride-hailing services, confirmed to authorities that the suicide bomber was unaware of the language and the currency.
China, Qatar, the UK, and the US condemned the attack, with President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz vowing continued and decisive action against foreign-backed terrorists.
The blast took place on the same day that Pakistani forces cleared Cadet College Wana in South Waziristan, killing all Fitna al-Khawarij terrorists who had infiltrated the educational institutions..
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has warned that Pakistan could carry out strikes inside Afghanistan following the terrorist attacks in Islamabad and South Waziristan.
Pakistan has been grappling with rising terror incidents, particularly in KP and Balochistan, since the Afghan Taliban regime took power in 2021.
Since then, terrorists have carried out hundreds of cross-border terror attacks in Pakistan, leading to the martyrdom of soldiers and countless civilians, including women and children.
During the first eight months of 2025, KP alone recorded over 600 terror incidents, resulting in the martyrdom of at least 138 civilians and 79 police personnel.
Pakistan has long urged the Afghan Taliban regime to prevent its soil from being used to launch attacks inside Pakistan. The cross-border terrorism also resulted in tense border clashes between forces from the two neighbouring countries in October.
Following the clashes, a ceasefire had been reached; however, talks have failed.
