Four Arrested in Pakistan Mosque Bombing Investigation

Mon Feb 09 2026 01:48:00 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Four individuals, including the alleged mastermind from Afghanistan, were arrested following a suicide bombing at a mosque in Pakistan that left over 30 people dead.

In the aftermath of a deadly suicide bombing at a mosque in Islamabad, Pakistan's authorities have apprehended four suspects, one of whom is alleged to be the mastermind of the attack. The bombing, claimed by the Islamic State, forced the community into mourning and raised concerns about security in the capital. Officials also accused foreign entities of complicity in the incident.

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.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi confirmed that an Afghan national alleged to be the mastermind behind the attack is among those detained. In the operations to arrest the suspects, one counter-terrorism officer lost his life, while three others sustained injuries.

The attack at the Shia mosque in the Tarlai area occurred during Friday prayers, which drew a large crowd. The Islamic State group has since claimed responsibility for the tragic incident, marking it as one of the deadliest attacks in the capital for more than a decade, impacting over 160 individuals with injuries.

Funeral services for the 32 victims witnessed an overwhelming turnout, as thousands mourned in Islamabad, amidst heightened security, including military personnel stationed at critical checkpoints.

The aftermath of the attack prompted national leaders, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, to express their sorrow and condemnation, with Sharif noting, 'targeting innocent civilians is a crime against humanity'. Eyewitness accounts described scenes of chaos and devastation.

During the announcement of the arrests, Minister Naqvi further implicated foreign entities, claiming that India was involved in funding the perpetrators. However, the Indian foreign ministry denounced these allegations as baseless. In parallel, Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif suggested possible ties to Afghan involvement in the attack, to which the Taliban regime responded by calling the allegations regretfully unsubstantiated.

With heightened concerns around security, Naqvi has vowed to bolster policing in Islamabad, aiming to recruit thousands of new officers and enhance the city's surveillance systems, a necessity underscored by a recent surge in violence across Pakistan.