Security agencies arrest ‘facilitator, handler’ of Islamabad suicide attack

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ISLAMABAD: As the investigation into the Islamabad judicial complex suicide bombing continues, security agencies on Thursday detained a handler and a facilitator believed to be linked to the attack.

Sources said that the facilitator, who has been living in Rawalpindi since last month, was arrested from Pindi while the handler was detained from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

A suicide blast hit the Islamabad District Judicial Complex, killing 12 people and injuring at least 36 others. Among the victims were lawyers and petitioners who came to the court.

Sources said that before the attack, the facilitator and the suicide bomber visited the court complex several times to survey the area.

He further said that the suspects have been shifted to an unknown location for investigation.

The latest development comes a day after police arrested the motorcyclist who had driven the suicide bomber to the District Judicial Complex in Islamabad’s G11 area before Tuesday’s deadly blast.

The attacker blew himself up as he approached the police vehicle, setting fire to nearby cars and strewing debris across the area, police said.

The rider—working with an online service—dropped the attacker near the court, also known as G-11 Kachri, for a fare of Rs 200, police sources told Geo News.

He also said that efforts are on to trace the movement of the bomber from Gulra to G11 sector through Safe City cameras.

‘Afghan National Involved in Islamabad Attack’

A day earlier, Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry said that the suicide bomber who attacked the Islamabad court premises and killed a dozen people was an Afghan national.

“I can confirm that the attacker was an Afghan national […] “Pakistan is a responsible state and does not dismiss others as unnecessary,” the minister said on Geo News’ program “Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Ki Sath”.

After Tuesday’s deadly blast outside the district court buildings that left 12 dead and more than 30 injured, the district court remained closed today, and security was heightened at other court buildings across the city.

“The attacker was neither Pakistani nor knew the Pakistani language. He had no idea about the Pakistani currency either.”

Chaudhry, while saying that he could not provide more details as it could hamper the investigation, noted that based on solid evidence, Pakistan has blamed India and Afghanistan for the attack in the country.

The blast happened on the same day that Pakistani forces cleared the Cadet College Wana in South Waziristan, killing all Fitnah al-Kharj terrorists who had infiltrated the educational institution.

Defense Minister Khawaja Asif has warned that Pakistan may strike inside Afghanistan after terrorist attacks in Islamabad and South Waziristan.

Rising terrorism

Since the Afghan Taliban government assumed power in 2021, Pakistan has been witnessing an increase in incidents of terrorism, particularly in KP and Balochistan.

Since then, terrorists have launched hundreds of cross-border terrorist attacks in Pakistan, leading to the martyrdom of soldiers and countless civilians, including women and children.

During the first eight months of 2025, KP alone recorded more than 600 terrorist incidents, resulting in the martyrdom of at least 138 civilians and 79 police personnel.

Pakistan has long urged the Afghan Taliban government to prevent its territory from being used to launch attacks inside Pakistan. Cross-border terrorism also led to tense border skirmishes between the two neighboring countries’ forces in October.

After the clashes, a ceasefire was reached. However, the talks have failed.