Pioneer in short
Mosque attack stuns Islamabad
At least 31 people were killed and 169 injured when a suicide bomber detonated himself at a Shia mosque during Friday prayers in Islamabad, officials said, in one of the deadliest attacks on the community in recent years. The blast occurred at the Khadijah al-Kubra mosque-cum-imambargah in the Tarlai area. Police said the attacker was stopped at the gate but opened fire before blowing himself up among worshippers. The explosion was heard from a long distance. Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Irfan Nawaz Memon confirmed the casualties, warning that the death toll could rise as several injured remain in critical condition. Hospitals in the capital declared an emergency as victims were rushed for treatment. At least one injured person later died in Rawalpindi. No group claimed responsibility, though police sources said the attacker was a foreign national with links to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan. Among the dead was a cousin of Islamabad’s police chief. The area was cordoned off as security operations continued. The attack coincided with a State visit by Uzbekistan’s president. Political leaders across Pakistan condemned the bombing.
Oman hosts Iran-US nuclear talks
Iran and the United States held indirect talks in Oman on Friday over Tehran’s nuclear program, months after US strikes on Iranian uranium enrichment sites and weeks after nationwide protests shook the Islamic Republic. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called the talks “a very good start,” though both sides met Oman’s foreign minister separately at a palace outside Muscat. Omani officials said the discussions focused only on laying the groundwork for future negotiations, effectively restarting stalled diplomacy from last year. The US delegation, led by envoy Steve Witkoff and joined by President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, made no immediate public comment. In an unusual move, US Central Command chief Adm. Brad Cooper also attended, signalling Washington’s continued military pressure.
Delhi HC raps X on Sahyog
The Delhi High Court on Friday said the “safe harbour” protection available to social media platform X does not exempt it from joining the Government’s Sahyog portal for sharing information with law enforcement. A bench of Justices Prathiba M. Singh and Amit Sharma was hearing X Corp’s plea seeking discharge from proceedings over delays in providing information to police.
X argued that its challenge to the Sahyog portal is pending before the Karnataka High Court. The court observed that Section 79 of the Information Technology Act, which shields intermediaries from liability for third-party content, cannot be used to refuse cooperation in criminal investigations.
