<p>In a brazen assault, suicide attackers lobbed grenades and opened indiscriminate fire in a heavily-guarded local court in Pakistani capital, killing at least 11 people including a judge and many lawyers.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Unidentified gunmen burst into the court complex and opened fire, killing 11 people, including Additional Sessions Judge Rafaqat Ahmad Khan Awan and many lawyers.<br /><br />At least 25 others were injured in the attack in F-8 area of the federal capital where a large number of expats stay.<br /><br />Though the exact number of the attackers were not known, Islamabad police chief said two of the attackers blew themselves up when cornered.<br /><br />"The two gunmen when challenged blew themselves up. This was a suicide attack," Inspector General of Police Sikandar Hayat told reporters.<br /><br />"11 people are dead and 25 others injured of whom five are in serious condition," said Javed Akram, Vice Chancellor of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences.<br /><br />He said all the injuries were due to gun shots on the upper part of the body. He said majority of the killed and injured were young lawyers.<br /><br />Eyewitnesses said two young gunmen entered the court premises and threw two grenades. They opened indiscriminate fire with assault rifles which continued for about 15 minutes.<br /><br />The attack comes just days after Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said Islamabad was a safe city.<br /><br />This is the first terrorist attack in the heart of Islamabad in a long time.<br /><br />A recent report of the Interior Ministry had said the threat perception was high in Islamabad and a number of sleeper cells are active here.<br /><br />The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan spokesperson Shahidullah Shahid, who had announced a ceasefire two days back, announced that his group was not involved in the attack.<br /><br />Chief Justice of Pakistan Tassaduq Hussain Jillani took notice of the attack.<br /><br />A three-member bench headed by the chief justice will hear the case regarding the attack tomorrow.<br /><br />The Interior Secretary will also appear before the court along with Chief Commissioner of Islamabad and police chief.<br /><br />The federal capital is heavily secured and is considered as one of the safest city in Pakistan. However, today's attack has put the security lapses under scanner.<br /><br />Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Interior Minister Nisar condemned the attack. Bar Councils across Pakistan have called for a strike today to condemn the blast.</p>
<p>In a brazen assault, suicide attackers lobbed grenades and opened indiscriminate fire in a heavily-guarded local court in Pakistani capital, killing at least 11 people including a judge and many lawyers.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Unidentified gunmen burst into the court complex and opened fire, killing 11 people, including Additional Sessions Judge Rafaqat Ahmad Khan Awan and many lawyers.<br /><br />At least 25 others were injured in the attack in F-8 area of the federal capital where a large number of expats stay.<br /><br />Though the exact number of the attackers were not known, Islamabad police chief said two of the attackers blew themselves up when cornered.<br /><br />"The two gunmen when challenged blew themselves up. This was a suicide attack," Inspector General of Police Sikandar Hayat told reporters.<br /><br />"11 people are dead and 25 others injured of whom five are in serious condition," said Javed Akram, Vice Chancellor of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences.<br /><br />He said all the injuries were due to gun shots on the upper part of the body. He said majority of the killed and injured were young lawyers.<br /><br />Eyewitnesses said two young gunmen entered the court premises and threw two grenades. They opened indiscriminate fire with assault rifles which continued for about 15 minutes.<br /><br />The attack comes just days after Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said Islamabad was a safe city.<br /><br />This is the first terrorist attack in the heart of Islamabad in a long time.<br /><br />A recent report of the Interior Ministry had said the threat perception was high in Islamabad and a number of sleeper cells are active here.<br /><br />The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan spokesperson Shahidullah Shahid, who had announced a ceasefire two days back, announced that his group was not involved in the attack.<br /><br />Chief Justice of Pakistan Tassaduq Hussain Jillani took notice of the attack.<br /><br />A three-member bench headed by the chief justice will hear the case regarding the attack tomorrow.<br /><br />The Interior Secretary will also appear before the court along with Chief Commissioner of Islamabad and police chief.<br /><br />The federal capital is heavily secured and is considered as one of the safest city in Pakistan. However, today's attack has put the security lapses under scanner.<br /><br />Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Interior Minister Nisar condemned the attack. Bar Councils across Pakistan have called for a strike today to condemn the blast.</p>