China condemns Islamabad mosque attack, backs Pakistan on security

In a statement, the Chinese foreign ministry said it was deeply shocked by the deadly explosion in Islamabad and the heavy loss of life. It expressed condolences to the victims, sympathy for the injured and solidarity with families who lost loved ones. China said it firmly opposes all forms of terrorism and supports the Pakistani government in ensuring public safety and stability.

The condemnation followed the suicide attack at Imambargah and Mosque Khadijat-ul-Kubra in Islamabad’s Tarlai area during Friday prayers, which left at least 33 people martyred and dozens injured. According to officials, the attacker opened fire before detonating himself at the entrance of the imambargah.

Investigators said an identity card recovered from the blast site identified the attacker as Yasir, 32, a resident of Peshawar, based on records from the National Database and Registration Authority. Authorities added that he had been living in Afghanistan for the past five months, where he received training in weapons handling and suicide bombing.

As investigations continued, sources said the attacker fired two shots outside and six inside the hall before detonating the device, which contained around four kilogrammes of explosives and a large number of ball bearings. The attacker reportedly wore the suicide jacket in Nowshera and travelled to Islamabad using public transport. Before the attack, he allegedly spent some time at a nearby hotel and then walked to the mosque from Khanna Road.

Investigators further revealed that the attacker had carried out reconnaissance of the mosque on February 2. He had travelled to Afghanistan in May and returned in June, after which he activated a new mobile SIM card in Bajaur.

A day earlier, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said the mastermind of the attack, linked to the banned Daesh group, had been arrested along with facilitators. Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, he said arrests were made in raids in Peshawar and Nowshera soon after the blast.

Naqvi claimed that funding for the terrorist network was being provided by India and that targets were also assigned from there. He said the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Counter Terrorism Department, along with other agencies, arrested all those connected to the attack. During the operations, one KP police officer was martyred and several others were injured.