A suicide attack outside a court in Pakistan's capital Islamabad has killed 12 people and injured at least 27 more, the country's interior minister said.
Mohsin Naqvi stated that a bomber was planning to attack the district courthouse but was unable to breach the premises.
Authorities are focusing on identifying the bomber, and Naqvi assured that those involved would face justice.
Recent years have seen a decline in suicide blasts in Islamabad. Footage from the scene showed a burnt-out vehicle and a police cordon in place, indicating the severity of the incident.
The injured individuals are currently receiving medical treatment, as confirmed by Naqvi. He described how the attacker detonated the bomb close to a police car after remaining in place for up to 15 minutes.
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the attack, expressing his deep concern over the violence.
A lawyer, Rustam Malik, who was parking his vehicle nearby during the explosion, recounted the incident, saying he heard a significant bang followed by chaos as people rushed into the courthouse complex.
I saw two dead bodies lying at the gate and several cars were on fire, he reported.
