At least 30 people have been killed in a suspected suicide bomb attack on a Shia Mosque in Pakistan’s federal capital, Islamabad, on 6 February. It marks one of the deadliest attacks in the country in recent years. 

The blast at a mosque in the Tarlai area of the city prompted an emergency to be declared at three hospitals in the city, with a government official saying more than 160 people had also been injured. The cause of the blast was not immediately clear, however reports suggest it was carried out by a suicide bomber. 

Rights groups and Pakistan’s president, Asif Ali Zardari, have condemned the attack, which has raised fears of fresh violence amid a deteriorating security situation in the country.  

CSW’s Founder President Mervyn Thomas said: ‘As the death toll from today’s horrific suicide attack in Islamabad continues to rise, CSW extends our deepest condolences to all those who have lost loved ones, and we hope and pray for a full recovery for those still fighting for their lives. We urge the government of Pakistan to implement its 2014 National Action Plan to counter violent extremism and terrorism in order to increase protections for all citizens from such deadly attacks.’