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ISLAMABAD: Authorities in Pakistan’s most populous province, Punjab, ordered an immediate tightening of security across the province on Tuesday after a suicide bombing in Islamabad killed at least 12 people and wounded more than 30.

Officials said the order followed the suicide explosion outside a court complex in federal capital, which Defense Minister Khawaja Asif described as an attempt to demonstrate the militants’ outreach in the country.

The government blamed the incident on the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) whose leadership is said to be based in Afghanistan. Islamabad has repeatedly accused Kabul of harboring the militants and facilitating their cross-border attacks against Pakistani civilians and security forces.

“This cowardly act of terrorism [in Islamabad], occurring so close to our provincial borders, underscores the persistent and evolving threat being posed by extremist elements and necessitates an immediate, proactive security response throughout the province,” said a notification circulated by the provincial home department.

It directed the relevant authorities to urgently “beef up the security apparatus” across the province.

The notification particularly mentioned “high-value, sensitive, and densely populated areas” while demanding measures to ensure their safety.

The letter, marked “Most Immediate”, was issued to top provincial police, counterterrorism, and administrative officers, instructing them to increase security presence and vigilance in major cities including Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Multan.

While most militant attacks have been recorded in the two western Pakistani provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, bordering Afghanistan, in recent years, militants have also launched major attacks in Punjab in the past, prompting authorities in the province to take precautionary measures.