Pakistan’s interior minister said 12 people were killed and at least 27 injured in a suicide bombing outside a court in the capital, Islamabad.
Mohsin Naqvi said the bombers had planned to attack the local court but were unable to get inside.
Naqvi said authorities would prioritize identifying the bomber and bring those involved to trial.
Suicide bombings have been rare in Islamabad in recent years. Video from the scene Tuesday showed the burned remains of a vehicle and a police cordon in place.
Naqvi said 27 injured people were receiving treatment.
He added that the attackers waited up to 15 minutes before detonating the bomb near a police car.
Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari said he “strongly condemns the suicide explosion.”
Meanwhile, a lawyer who was parking his car outside the courthouse at the time described hearing a “loud noise.”
“It was complete chaos,” Rustam Malik told the AFP news agency.
“There were lawyers and people running inside the complex,” he added. “I saw two bodies lying on top of the gate and several vehicles on fire.”
