Suicide attack on Islamabad court kills 11, Pakistan Taliban deny role

Two suicide bombers blew themselves up inside a court in Islamabad on Monday leaving 11 people dead.

Zee Media Bureau/Supriya Jha

Islamabad: Just a couple of days after Pakistani Taliban declared unilateral ceasefire, two suicide bombers blew themselves up inside a court complex in Islamabad on Monday leaving 11 people dead and dozens injured.

An additional session Judge Rafaqat Awan was also among those dead, Pakistani media reported. However, the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has denied having any role in the suicide attack, said a TTP spokesperson.

A spokesman for the Pkistani Talibanmilitant outfit told media that Taliban was still abiding by its one-month long ceasefire that it declared on Saturday, Pakistani news website, The News International reported.

The militant group`s spokesperson further suggested that no offshoot militant outfit under the umbrella of the TTP, could dare to act against the orders of Taliban’s chief Mullah Fazlullah.
So far no one has claimed the responsibilty for the attack. The suicide blasts were followed by firing, which left the lawyers running for their lives.
According to the eyewitnesses, the gunmen walked into the court complex, lobbing grenades randomly. After that they started firing indiscriminately, killing many on the spot. Many others were injured, and rushed to nearby hospitals.
The firing continued till 15 minutes.
When cornered, the bombers detonated.
Talking to the reporters, Inspector General of Police Sikandar Hayat said that it was a suicide attack. Security forces have cordoned off the entire area and special forces were deployed in the court. The attack comes just a couple of days after the Pakistani Taliban announced a unilateral ceasefire, prompting a similar positive response from the Pakistan government that decided to reciprocate by suspending air strikes against the Taliban.
The government sponsored air strikes on Taliban hideouts were launched last month in Waziristan and Khyber regions, that killed dozens of militants. The government crackdown came after a spate of militant attacks and a deadlock in the peace process.
Pakistan has been grappling with the scourge of Taliban insurgency since 2007, in which thousands have been killed. However, rarely has the capital city of Islamabad been the target.