Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday announced compensation for those martyred and injured in the suicide attack on an imambargah in Islamabad last week.

The premier made the announcement while visiting the site of the attack.

On February 6, a suicide bomber ripped through the Friday congregation at the Imambargah Qasr-i-Khadijatul Kubra on the outskirts of Islamabad. At least 38 people were killed in the incident and more than 150 were injured.

During the visit, PM Shehbaz announced a sum of Rs 10 million for Oun Abbas, who resisted the suicide attacker; Rs5m for each martyr; Rs3m for those critically injured and under treatment at the hospital; and Rs1m for those with minor injuries who had been discharged.

Speaking on the occasion, PM Shehbaz said, “These terrorists have no religion, and they have crossed all the limits of cruelty.”

Talking to the affected families, he said the entire nation was in a state of grief and saddened over the tragic incident, which resulted in the martyrdom of elders and kids while scores of others were injured.

He termed the incident the “worst kind of barbaric act”. PM Shehbaz said that all religious leaders had strongly condemned the incident with unity and praised them for foiling the nefarious designs of the enemies with solidarity.

The prime minister observed that the attempt to sow seeds of disunity in society had failed miserably.

He also commended the armed forces, law enforcement agencies and police force fighting against terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

Later, the prime minister also visited Abbas’ residence to offer his condolences.

Additional input from APP