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ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Nov 11, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - An explosion outside district court buildings in a residential area of the Pakistani capital caused an unconfirmed number of casualties on Tuesday, witnesses told AFP.

"As I parked my car and entered the complex... I heard a loud bang at the gate," lawyer Rustam Malik said after the blast, which sent people fleeing and damaged vehicles in the area.

"It was complete chaos, lawyers and people were running inside the complex. I saw two dead bodies lying on the gate and several cars were on fire," said Malik, one of the witnesses who spoke to AFP.

The cause of the explosion was not immediately clear and there was no official confirmation of casualty numbers.

A security official, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the media, told AFP that 12 bodies and 20 wounded people had been taken to a nearby government-run hospital.

Mohammed Shahzad Butt, another lawyer, said the blast occurred around 12:30 pm (0730 GMT).

"It was a massive blast. Everyone started running inside out of panic. I have seen at least five dead bodies lying at the front gate," he told AFP.

Police and paramilitary troops cordoned off the area, which houses several government offices, including the administrative commissioner and deputy commissioner.