Islamabad Suicide Bombing Triggers Anti‑Pakistan Protests in J&K, Ladakh

The attack, carried out during Friday prayers in the Pakistani capital, claimed at least 31 lives and left 169 others injured. News of the tragedy spread swiftly across the region, stirring grief and outrage and setting off a wave of public demonstrations that grew more intense over the following day.

By Saturday afternoon, protests had swelled across the Kashmir Valley, several districts of Jammu, and Kargil in Ladakh, a region with a significant Shia population. Residents marched through streets and town squares, accusing Pakistan of nurturing instability and allowing extremist networks to flourish. The bombing quickly reverberated across the border, prompting political groups, civil society organisations, and student bodies in J&K and Ladakh to denounce what they alleged is Pakistan’s continued complicity in terrorism.

In Srinagar, Jammu, Leh, and Kargil, protesters organised coordinated marches where angry youth chanted slogans condemning the perpetrators of the heinous attack. Across the Valley, the Shia community turned out in large numbers, holding demonstrations in Baramulla, Srinagar, and Bandipora to express solidarity with the victims and denounce the violence in Islamabad.

Reports received here mentioned significant gatherings at Chainabal Pattan in Baramulla, Imambara Zadibal and Harwan in Srinagar, Inderkote–Sumbal in Bandipora, and Diver Parihasipora. Protesters raised slogans such as “Pakistan Murdabad (down with Pakistan)” and “Hukumat‑e‑Pakistan Murdabad (down with Pakistan government),” expressing solidarity with the victims while condemning the attack on Shia worshippers.

Kashmir’s chief Muslim cleric, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, described the bombing as “deeply painful and strongly condemnable.” In a social media post, he wrote that bloodshed inside a place of worship was profoundly distressing for the entire Ummah. He extended condolences to the families of the victims and prayed for the swift recovery of the injured, urging unity and patience in the face of such tragedy.

His post on ‘X’ read, “The heinous suicide bombing attack that took place during Friday prayers at an Imambargah in Islamabad, Pakistan, killing more than thirty worshippers, is deeply painful and strongly condemnable. Bloodshed in such a manner, that too at a place of worship, is profoundly distressing and unsettling, a moment of deep pain and reflection for the Ummah.

“My heartfelt sympathies and prayers are with the families of the victims, for the swift recovery of the injured, and for peace, patience, and unity to prevail in such a distressing situation.”

In Ladakh, youth organisations and community leaders echoed these concerns, warning that Pakistan’s internal turmoil poses a broader threat to regional peace. They called on New Delhi to continue strengthening border security and intensifying diplomatic pressure.

Despite the scale of the demonstrations, authorities maintained tight security and the protests remained largely peaceful.

India formally condemned the bombing and expressed condolences for the loss of life. In a statement, a foreign ministry spokesman in New Delhi said it was “unfortunate that, instead of seriously addressing the problems plaguing its social fabric, Pakistan should choose to delude itself by blaming others for its home‑grown ills.” The statement added that India “rejects any and every such allegation, which is as baseless as it is pointless.”