PM Shehbaz announces compensation for families of martyrs, injured in Islamabad suicide attack

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited Imambargah Khadijatul Kubra in Tarlai on Wednesday. He met with the mosque administration, the families of the martyrs and announced financial assistance to those affected by the suicide attack.

At least 36 people were killed and around 169 injured when a suicide bomber struck Imambargah Khadijah al-Kubra last Friday. The explosion, followed by other explosions and gunshots, occurred as worshipers had gathered for Juma’a prayers.

The attack was the deadliest in Islamabad in more than a decade and the most destructive nationwide since the Peshawar mosque bombing in January 2023.

Learn more: Bomber identified as Peshawar resident ‘trained in Afghanistan’

During his visit to Imambargah, the Prime Minister announced 10 million rupees for Shaheed Oun Abbas, who resisted the suicide bomber and lost his life, 5 million rupees for each martyr, 3 million rupees for the seriously injured and 1 million rupees for the lightly injured. “There can be no compensation for the precious lives lost in this terrorist attack,” Shehbaz said.

Prime Minister Shehbaz met the bereaved families and survivors. Addressing the affected families, he said the entire nation was in mourning over the tragic loss of lives, including the elderly and children.

Calling the attack “the worst form of barbaric act”, he strongly condemned it, saying the more it was condemned, the less so it would be. He also congratulated religious leaders and ulama for their solidarity, which has always helped to thwart the nefarious designs of their enemies.

“Shaheed Oun Abbas, who sacrificed his life in the line of duty, will be remembered with golden words,” Shehbaz said, stressing that such sacrifices in the fight against terrorism would not be in vain. He added that the attack’s attempt to sow division in society had failed miserably.

The Prime Minister also commended the armed forces, law enforcement agencies and police for their relentless fight against terrorism, especially in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan, where they made great sacrifices. He prayed for the complete elimination of terrorism from the country.

The Prime Minister offered Fateha and prayed for Shuhadaa. He also prayed for the immediate recovery of those injured in the horrific incident. Later, he also went to the residence of Shaheed Oun Abbas to offer Fateha and his condolences.

Federal ministers, police officers and district administration officials accompanied the Prime Minister during the visit and briefed him about the details of the incident.

A day after the blast, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi announced that the mastermind of the attack on an imambargah in Islamabad was in custody.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad after a high-level security meeting, the interior minister confirmed the arrests and said one police officer was martyred and three were injured. Naqvi called Friday a “black day” for the country and provided an update on the investigation and arrests.

“After the blast, all our agencies took the lead. Operations continued throughout the night. The Anti-Terrorism Department (CTD) and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Police (KP) arrested almost all those linked to the attack or the masterminds behind it,” he said.

Read also: Afghan mastermind of Islamabad imambargah attack, linked to ISIS, in custody

He lauded the efforts of the CTD and KP police teams in reaching and apprehending the culprits.

“Immediately after the blast, a raid was conducted in Nowshera and Peshawar, and four facilitators were arrested. The ISIS mastermind, an Afghan national, was also captured. During the raid, an assistant sub-inspector of KP police was martyred. The mastermind, linked to ISIS, is in our custody,” Naqvi said.