Names of Islamabad court bombing victims made public

ISLAMABAD: Authorities have released the names of those killed and injured in the suicide blast outside the G-11 district courts in Islamabad. The attack, allegedly carried out by Indian-backed Khawarij militants, left 12 people dead and 36 others injured.

The explosion occurred around 12:45 pm near the main gate of the G-11 court complex, when a police patrol vehicle deployed for security was hit, police and other law-enforcement agencies said. Four police personnel among the injured were said to be in critical condition.

The alleged suicide bomber’s head was found on the road. Following the explosion, the bodies and injured were shifted to PIMS hospital, while emergency was declared at medical facilities across the capital.

The deceased who have been identified so far are: Iftikhar Ali (son of Sultan Mehmood), Sajjad Shah (son of Lal Chand), Tariq (son of Mir Afzal), Iftikhar (son of Siraj), Subhanuddin, Saqlain (son of Mehdi), Safdar (son of Manzoor), Shah Mohammad (son of Mohammad Khalil), advocate Zubair Ghumman, and Mohammad Abdullah (son of Fatah Khan). Two victims remain unidentified.

Those injured in the attack are advocate Mazhar (son of Rozi Khan), ASI Irshad (Ramna Police Station), Muntazir (son of Farhat Abbas), Azhar (son of Zafar Iqbal), Adil Kayani (son of Tariq), Alam Zar (son of Sher Zada), Yaseen (son of Abdul Karim), Head Constable Mohammad Imran, Ehtesham (son of Nizakat), Shumaila (daughter of Anwar Hussain), Naveed Anjum (son of Liaqat), Qaiser Mehmood (son of Chaudhry Mohammad), Malik Maseeh (son of Zahoor), Constable Imran Javed (Kohsar Police Station), Mohammad Ramzan (son of Mohammad Azam, Balochistan Police), Mir Azam (son of Ghameen Khan), advocate Haider Khan, Imran (son of Farhan Maseeh), Kazim (son of Noubahar), and two unidentified persons.

Rescue and security personnel continue to collect evidence from the site while an investigation into the attack is under way.

Earlier, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi warned that if Afghanistan fails to restrain the rogue elements behind the attack, Pakistan would be “left with no choice but to deal with them.” He said the bomber had tried to enter the court premises but detonated near the vehicle instead.

The president, prime minister and other political leaders condemned the attack, pledged solidarity with the victims’ families, and directed a full investigation.