By The South Asia Times

ISLAMABAD — At least 12 people were killed and 20 others injured in a suicide explosion outside the judicial complex in Islamabad on Tuesday, officials confirmed.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi told reporters at the scene that a suicide bomber attempted to enter the judicial complex but was stopped by security forces, detonating the explosives outside instead.

“We are investigating the incident, and within a few hours, we will share with the media where this suicide attacker came from,” Naqvi said, adding that security across the capital has been tightened.

Rescue teams and police rushed to the site immediately after the blast, cordoning off the area as ambulances transported the injured to nearby hospitals. Several vehicles parked near the complex were damaged by the explosion.

Authorities have launched a high-level investigation to determine the origin of the attack and whether the bomber had any accomplices.

The explosion marks one of the deadliest attacks in Islamabad in recent months, raising fresh concerns over the resurgence of militancy in parts of Pakistan.