The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has strongly condemned Friday’s suicide bombing at a Shi’ite mosque in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, which left 31 people dead and 179 others wounded.

Abdul Qahar Balkhi, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in a statement that the Islamic Emirate considers such attacks—which violate the sanctity of religious rites and mosques and target worshippers and civilians—to be contrary to Islamic and human values.

The Islamic Emirate also expressed sympathy with the families of the victims and wished a speedy recovery to the wounded.

A suicide bomber killed at least 31 people and wounded nearly 170 others during Friday prayers at a Shi’ite Muslim mosque in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, Reuters reported, citing police and government officials.

Images from the site showed bloodied bodies lying on the carpeted mosque floor surrounded by shards of glass, debris and panicked worshippers.

Dozens more wounded were lying in the gardens of the Khadija Tul Kubra Imambargah, in a semi-urban area on the outskirts of Islamabad, as people called for help.

Bombings are rare in the heavily guarded capital, although Pakistan has been hit by a rising wave of militancy in the past few years.

“The death toll in the blast has risen. A total of 31 people have lost their lives. The number of wounded brought to hospitals has risen to 169,” Deputy Commissioner Islamabad Irfan Memon said in a statement.

Two police officials said the attacker was stopped at the gate of the mosque before detonating the bomb. They asked not to be identified as they were not authorized to speak to the media.

Uzbekistan and Pakistan have jointly urged Afghanistan to take concrete steps against militant groups operating from its territory, emphasizing that regional stability and major connectivity projects depend on improved security conditions in the country.

The call was made in a joint declaration issued at the conclusion of the state visit of the President of Uzbekistan to Pakistan. The two sides stressed that peace and stability in Afghanistan are essential for long-term regional peace, economic growth, and the successful implementation of the Uzbekistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan (UAP) Railway Project.

According to the declaration, the leaders of both countries underlined that several terrorist organizations continue to operate from inside Afghanistan, posing serious threats to regional and global security. They urged Kabul to take “immediate and concrete actions” to dismantle and eliminate all such groups, and to ensure that Afghan territory is not used for attacks against any other state.

The Islamic Emirate has previously denied the presence of militant groups in Afghanistan.