At least 31 people were killed and 160 injured after an explosion ripped through a Shi'ite Muslim mosque in Islamabad's Qasr-e-Khadijat-ul Kubra during Friday prayers, in what police sources have linked to the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

The Islamabad Inspector General of Police declared a city-wide emergency following the devastating attack.

The explosion is believed to have been caused by a suicide bomber who arrived during afternoon prayers. Eyewitnesses told the Times of Islamabad that the attacker detonated the bomb prematurely after being stopped at the mosque gate.

Reports from GeoTV indicated that terrorists first opened fire before resorting to the bombing, suggesting a coordinated assault on the place of worship.

Video footage from the blast site showed extensive damage to the gate structure and shattered windows of nearby residential buildings. Graphic footage also captured bodies and limbs at the scene, underscoring the devastating impact of the explosion.

The injured have been rushed to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) and Polyclinic Hospital for treatment. Police and Rescue 1122 personnel reached the site and initiated rescue operations.

The exact cause of the blast is still under investigation, though initial assessments point to a suicide bombing.

The incident comes just three months after a suicide blast outside a district sessions court building in Islamabad's G-11 area killed 12 people and injured 30, raising serious concerns about security in Pakistan's capital.

Police sources have indicated the attack is linked to the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, the militant organization that has intensified operations across Pakistan in recent months. The targeting of a Shi'ite mosque follows a pattern of sectarian attacks that have plagued Pakistan for years.