Shia Rights Watch (SRW) unequivocally condemns in the strongest possible terms the heinous suicide bombing attack on the Khadija al-Kubra Mosque in the Tarlai Kalan area of Islamabad, Pakistan, which occurred on February 6, 2026, during Friday prayers. This atrocious act of violence resulted in the deaths of at least 31 worshippers and left over 169 individuals wounded, many critically, as they gathered for communal worship.
This mosque serves as a spiritual sanctuary for Shia Muslims, a minority community already subjected to recurrent sectarian targeting. The deliberate targeting of civilians engaged in prayer constitutes an egregious violation of fundamental human rights, freedom of religion, and the sanctity of places of worship. Any act that seeks to terrorize and divide communities through violence against innocent worshippers is a crime against humanity and must be condemned without reservation.
The ongoing pattern of militant attacks against Shia civilians in Pakistan and across the region underscores an urgent need for coordinated international action to protect vulnerable communities and to hold perpetrators and their sponsors accountable under international law. SRW stands in firm solidarity with the victims and their families, and with all communities affected by sectarian violence.
SRW calls on the Government of Pakistan and the international community to:
- Swiftly and transparently investigate this attack and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.
- Strengthen protections for religious minorities and their places of worship to prevent future attacks.
- Enhance international cooperation to address the networks and ideologies that fuel sectarian terrorism.
- Provide full support and assistance to survivors, the injured, and the families of the deceased.
SRW extends its deepest condolences to the families of the victims, expresses solidarity with the injured, and reiterates the imperative that acts of violence against innocent worshippers must never be tolerated.