Pakistan tightens Islamabad security following suicide bombing
Residents of Islamabad faced heightened security checks on Wednesday after a suicide blast outside district court buildings on Tuesday, News.Az reports, citing AFP.
The deadly blast outside district court buildings on Tuesday was claimed by a faction of the Pakistani Taliban, a militant group that has been behind a series of attacks in other parts of the country.
The district court remained closed on Wednesday while security was stepped up at other court buildings across the city, and long queues of vehicles formed at checkpoints.
"Our army, police, and all law enforcement agencies are alert and performing their duties. Unfortunately, the question remains: Where are these attacks coming from, and how are they happening?" said resident Fazal Satar, 58.
At least 12 people were killed and 27 wounded in the suicide bombing, the first such incident to hit the capital in nearly three years.
"It was a very sudden bang, and I felt like someone had thrown me to the ground," he told AFP.
Sharjeel Ahmed, a 26-year-old student, worried about how the violence would affect foreign investment and Pakistan's ability to host international sports matches.
"In my opinion, this is a serious security lapse, and we must learn from it. If such attacks continue, how will the world trust us?" he said.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Zardari held security talks in the hours after the attack.
"Both leaders reiterated their commitment that operations against foreign-backed terrorists and their facilitators will continue until terrorism is completely eradicated," a statement from the president's office said.
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