At least 36 people were killed after an explosion ripped through a mosque during Friday prayers in Pakistan's federal capital city of Islamabad, police and government officials said Saturday.
Local authorities fear the death toll from the attack, which occurred in the Shehzad Town area, may rise and have declared an emergency across the city's hospitals.
According to eyewitness accounts, a suicide bomber detonated an explosive device after being stopped at the mosque entrance during Friday prayers.
Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Saturday that security forces had arrested four facilitators of the suicide attack, including the alleged main mastermind.
Speaking to the media in Islamabad, Naqvi said overnight intelligence-based coordinated operations led to the arrests.
Initial investigations indicate that the planning, training and indoctrination of the attacker were carried out in Afghanistan by the Islamic State, according to the interior minister, adding that further intelligence-based operations would continue.
Death toll in Pakistan’s mosque blast rises to 36
A protest in Tokyo on Saturday highlighted growing public concern over Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's remarks on China's Taiwan region and the government's plans to expand its military.
In early November 2025, Takaichi said a "Taiwan contingency" could constitute what she called a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan, remarks that many critics say reflect nostalgia for Japan's colonial past and an attempt to weaponize the Taiwan issue against China.
Protesters distributed flyers and held up signs denouncing Takaichi's remarks and policies.
"The Japanese government has already acknowledged that Taiwan is part of China, so I can't help but wonder why the current prime minister would make such remarks. We truly hope there will be no more statements like this. Takaichi should either retract her words or just resign. Her comments have triggered a serious crisis, and she must take full responsibility," one protester said.
"There is widespread anger toward Takaichi within Japan. If the government truly prioritizes people's livelihoods, it must pursue responsible diplomacy, reject any provocation of war and uphold the pacifist constitution. This is what matters most," another demonstrator said.
"It is an interference in China's internal affairs. She must immediately and sincerely apologize for her remarks," said another participant in the rally.
Protesters also said Takaichi's aggressive actions since taking office, including intending to revise three national security documents, easing restrictions on arms exports and planning to increase the defence budget, are dangerous, particularly given Japan's failure to fully reckon with its World War II history.
"Japan's military buildup is dangerous. Eight decades have passed since the war ended, yet the country still hasn't fully reflected on or accounted for its wartime past," a protester said.
Protesters rally in Tokyo over PM Takaichi's Taiwan remarks, military expansion plans
