Pakistan, other countries condemn shooting at Australia's Bondi Beach

World leaders queued up on Sunday to express their horror and revulsion at a mass shooting which killed 12 people at Sydney's iconic Bondi Beach.

One suspected gunman was killed and another was in a critical condition, New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon told a press conference. At least 29 people injured, including two police officers, were taken to hospital, he said.

Police were investigating whether a third gunman was involved in the shooting, and a bomb-disposal unit was working on several suspected improvised explosive devices, Lanyon said.

Mike Burgess, a top Australian intelligence official, said one of the suspected attackers was known to authorities but had not been deemed an immediate threat.

Following are comments from world leaders in the wake of the deadly shooting:

'Dark moment'

President Asif Ali Zardari expressed sorrow over the tragic shooting, conveying condolences to the families of the victims and wishing a speedy recovery to those injured.

In a statement issued on X, President Zardari said that Pakistan, having itself suffered greatly from terrorism, fully understands the pain and trauma such attacks inflict on societies.

He condemned violence against innocent civilians and expressed solidarity with the people and Government of Australia at this difficult time, reiterating Pakistan’s principled stance against terrorism in all its forms.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on his official X account expressed deepest condolences to the victims of the tragic "terrorist attack".

"Pakistan condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations… we stand in solidarity with the people and Government of Australia in this difficult time," he wrote.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the "shocking and distressing" attack, which Australian police dubbed a "terrorist" incident, was "beyond comprehension" as assailants fired on a gathering celebrating the Jewish festival of Hanukkah.

"At this dark moment for our nation, our police and security agencies are working to determine anyone associated with this outrage."

Sussan Ley, opposition leader of Australia, said: "Australians are in deep mourning tonight, with hateful violence striking at the heart of an iconic Australian community, a place we all know so well and love, Bondi."

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said she was "shocked" at the shooting, which the bloc´s top diplomat condemned as an "appalling act of violence."

"Europe stands with Australia and Jewish communities everywhere. We are united against violence, antisemitism and hatred," von der Leyen, the European Commission President, wrote on X.

"This appalling act of violence against the Jewish community must be unequivocally condemned," added EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer lamented what he termed "deeply distressing news from Australia. The United Kingdom sends our thoughts and condolences to everyone affected by the appalling attack in Bondi beach."

French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the attack and vowed that France would "fight relentlessly against antisemitic hatred."

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on X she felt "profound grief regarding the dramatic news arriving from Sydney.

"By once again firmly condemning all forms of violence and anti-semitism, Italy expresses its own condolences for the victims," Meloni added.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, also in a post to X, said: "I am deeply shocked by the terrorist attack in Sydney -- an act of hatred directed against all Jews worldwide on the first day of Hanukkah. My thoughts are with the families of those murdered, the injured and the Jewish community."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky posted on X that his country "stands in solidarity with Australia in the face of the brutal terrorist attack at Bondi Beach, Sydney, which targeted the Jewish community."

"Terror and hatred must never prevail - they must be defeated everywhere and every time," he said.

A major Australian Muslim organisation condemned the "horrific" shooting.

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said, "Australia and New Zealand are closer than friends, we're family. I am shocked by the distressing scenes at Bondi, a place that Kiwis visit every day."

"My thoughts, and the thoughts of all New Zealanders, are with those affected."