MEA says Pakistan is 'deluding itself' by shifting blame for Islamabad blast while ignoring its homegrown problems

New Delhi on Friday condemned the deadly suicide bombing at a Shia mosque in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad and rejected any attempt to link the attack to India, calling such allegations “baseless” and a diversion from Pakistan’s internal challenges.

In an official statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the bombing earlier in the day was “condemnable” and conveyed condolences for the loss of lives caused by the attack.

“The bombing at an Islamabad mosque earlier today is condemnable and India condoles the loss of life it has caused,” the MEA said.


The ministry, however, criticised Islamabad for what it described as a recurring tendency to attribute domestic crises to external actors instead of addressing internal problems.

“It is unfortunate that, instead of seriously addressing the problems plaguing its social fabric, Pakistan should choose to delude itself by blaming others for its home-grown ills,” the statement said.

India added that it “rejects any and every such allegation, which is as baseless as it is pointless.”

The response comes following the suicide bombing at the Khadijatul Kubra imambargah in Islamabad that killed at least 31 people and injured more than 160 during Friday prayers, one of the deadliest attacks in the Pakistani capital in over a decade.

Pakistan’s leadership had earlier suggested foreign involvement in militant attacks, a charge India has repeatedly dismissed as an attempt to deflect attention from internal political and security crises.

Islamabad blast: Suicide bombing at Shia mosque kills 31, injures 170 in Pakistan

Deadly suicide blast at Islamabad mosque kills 31

At least 31 people were killed and 169 others injured when a powerful explosion ripped through a Shia Muslim mosque in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad during Friday prayers, according to officials cited by PTI. Security forces confirmed the blast was a suicide attack.

Police said the explosion occurred at the Khadijatul Kubra mosque-cum-imambargah in the Tarlai area. The attacker was stopped at the entrance by security personnel but detonated the explosives at the gate, eyewitnesses and officials said. A district administration spokesperson later confirmed the casualty figures, while Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Irfan Nawaz Memon had earlier reported more than 80 injured and at least 15 bodies shifted to hospitals across the city.

Rescue teams, police, and emergency responders rushed to the site as army troops and Rangers sealed the surrounding area and launched security operations. Hospitals in Islamabad, including the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), declared an emergency to treat the wounded.

No group immediately claimed responsibility. However, police sources indicated the suspected attacker was a foreign national linked to Fitna al Khwaraji, a term used for the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), adding that investigations into the nature of the explosion were ongoing.

Pakistan’s top leadership condemned the attack. President Asif Ali Zardari called the targeting of innocent civilians “a crime against humanity,” while Senate Opposition Leader Allama Raja Nasir Abbas said attacks on places of worship were assaults on humanity, religion, and social values. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi directed authorities to ensure the best medical care for victims, and local lawmaker Tariq Fazal Chaudhry described the bombing as a “cowardly act,” urging national unity against terrorism.

The bombing comes less than three months after a suicide attack outside a court in Islamabad killed 12 people, and days after coordinated violence in Balochistan left about 50 dead. It also coincided with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s two-day state visit to Pakistan.