Eyewitnesses of a suicide bombing near a lower courthouse in Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, have described scenes of chaos.

The attacker, who failed to enter the building, targeted a police car instead. The blast took place during lunch hour, claiming at least 12 lives.

A Taliban splinter group, which has targeted Pakistan before, initially claimed responsibility but later denied involvement. However, Pakistani authorities are pointing to Afghanistan.

Ceasefire negotiations between the neighboring countries recently collapsed, leaving tensions high in the region.