ISLAMABAD: A police official was martyred, and a constable sustained injuries during a raid in the Hakeemabad area of Nowshera district, officials said on Saturday. The operation targeted suspects linked to the deadly suicide bombing at an Islamabad imambargah, authorities confirmed. The death toll in the suicide blast has increased to 36 today.
According to police sources, law enforcement teams moved in after receiving fresh intelligence about possible facilitators hiding in the area.
However, as officials attempted to search the premises, armed suspects opened fire, prompting an exchange. Consequently, an assistant sub-inspector lost his life in the crossfire, while another constable suffered injuries and was shifted to the hospital. Police said the condition of the injured constable remained stable.
Probe widens after capital attack
Meanwhile, investigators said the raid formed part of a broader, ongoing probe into the Islamabad imambargah bombing that killed at least 36 worshippers and injured scores more during Friday prayers.
The attack occurred at Imambargah Qasr-i-Khadijatul Kubra on the outskirts of the capital, sending shockwaves across the country. An official involved in the investigation said multiple law enforcement agencies participated in the Nowshera operation, underscoring the seriousness of the case.
Earlier, officials noted that the latest bombing marked the deadliest attack in Islamabad since September 2008, when a suicide truck bomb struck the Marriott hotel, killing 60 people.
Furthermore, the incident came less than three months after another suicide blast outside the district and sessions court in Islamabad’s G-11 sector on November 11, 2025, which left 12 people dead and over 30 injured. Authorities reiterated their resolve.
