Dr. Hassam Ahmed Siddiqi 
The recent wave of terrorist attacks in Pakistan marks a critical juncture in the country’s regional security calculus and underscores the urgent necessity of confronting external sponsorship of terrorism with clarity and resolve. The suicide bombing outside Islamabad’s District and Sessions Court, which claimed at least 12 lives and injured over 30, represents not only an act of cowardly violence but also a calculated attempt to destabilize Pakistan’s internal security architecture at a time when the country is hosting key diplomatic and sporting events. The attack, claimed by the splinter group Jamaa-ul-Ahrar, came amid heightened tensions with Afghanistan and coincided with simultaneous assaults on strategic installations, including the Cadet College in Wana, South Waziristan, where hundreds of cadets were targeted by militants using explosives-laden vehicles. Swift and professional response by Pakistan forces, rescuing over 300 cadets and neutralizing attackers, once again demonstrated the state’s unflinching commitment to defending its citizens and institutions. These coordinated assaults occurred alongside another bombing in Dera Ismail Khan, injuring 14 security personnel, reflecting an intensification of cross-border terrorism originating from Afghan soil.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, addressing the Inter-Parliamentary Speakers’ Conference in Islamabad, declared that peace in the region would remain elusive unless Afghanistan takes decisive action against terrorist groups operating from its territory. Reiterating Pakistan’s long-standing advocacy for dialogue and diplomacy, the premier stressed that sustainable peace and development rest upon mutual respect for sovereignty and the cessation of cross-border terrorism. He stated unequivocally that Pakistan’s response to recent border provocations was firm and decisive, sending an unforgettable lesson to those testing its resolve. The prime minister expressed appreciation for Turkiye and Qatar’s role in facilitating dialogue with the Afghan regime, but emphasized that Pakistan’s patience was not infinite and its national security would not be compromised under any circumstances.
The defence and interior ministries have jointly confirmed that the Islamabad attack bore the hallmarks of an Indian-backed conspiracy executed through Afghan proxies. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif both pointed toward India’s expanding covert footprint in the region, accusing New Delhi of orchestrating the Islamabad and Wana incidents as acts of state terrorism. Asif noted that this is a war for all of Pakistan, warning that the recent incidents represented a broader strategy of hybrid warfare aimed at destabilizing Pakistan from multiple fronts, particularly through Afghan-based groups such as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), and other affiliates of Fitna al-Khawarij and Fitna al-Hindustan. He warned that if provocations continued, cross-border military responses could not be ruled out, stressing that while the attacks appear to emanate from Afghanistan, the true instigator remains India, which seeks to exploit Afghan territory as a proxy base for anti-Pakistan operations.
The resurgence of terrorism has coincided with the breakdown of recent Pakistan-Afghanistan negotiations in Istanbul, where efforts to establish a cross-border monitoring mechanism collapsed amid Kabul’s refusal to curb the TTP’s operations. Pakistan’s position remains clear that any state that harbours, finances, or supports terrorist elements acting against Pakistan will be treated as an enemy of the state. The Foreign Office’s latest statement categorically declares TTP and BLA as enemies of Pakistan and its people, warning that those providing them sanctuary or assistance cannot be considered friends of Pakistan. This represents a decisive shift from strategic restraint to conditional deterrence, signalling that Pakistan’s engagement with the Afghan Taliban now hinges on measurable counterterrorism cooperation rather than goodwill assurances.
The Afghan Taliban’s duplicity lies at the heart of this escalating crisis. Despite pledging under the 2020 Doha Agreement that Afghan soil would never again serve as a base for terrorism, the Taliban regime has repeatedly failed to prevent the TTP and Al-Qaeda from expanding their operations. The killing of al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in Central Kabul in 2022 exposed the hollowness of the Taliban’s commitments and revealed the continued presence of transnational terrorist networks under their watch. Subsequent reports by the UN Sanctions Monitoring Team in 2024 and again in early 2025 reaffirmed that the TTP operates training camps and conducts cross-border attacks into Pakistan from Afghan territory with the tacit approval of Taliban authorities. These reports also confirmed the coexistence of Jamaat Ansarullah and other extremist groups alongside TTP camps, clear evidence that Afghanistan has become a sanctuary for over 20 terrorist organizations.
Beyond Pakistan, other regional powers, most notably China have voiced deep concern over the Taliban’s failure to rein in militant factions such as the East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM), which threatens Chinese interests in the region. In meetings between Chinese and Taliban officials, Beijing has repeatedly urged Kabul to act decisively against these groups. The fact that these warnings have gone unheeded highlights the Taliban’s unwillingness or inability to enforce counterterrorism commitments, further eroding their credibility in the eyes of the international community.
Adding to Pakistan’s security concerns is the alarming proliferation of advanced weaponry in Afghanistan following the chaotic withdrawal of US and NATO forces in August 2021. Despite American claims of disabling military equipment before departure, vast stockpiles of sophisticated arms, including M4 rifles, night-vision devices, and armoured vehicles fell into Taliban hands and subsequently circulated through black markets. Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar, raised this issue in the UN Security Council, warning that abandoned US weapons were being smuggled into Pakistan for terrorist activities. He cited credible evidence that arms seized at the Pakistan-Afghanistan border had originated from these leftover stockpiles. Ambassador Iftikhar urged the international community to strengthen controls on the illicit arms trade and hold the Afghan interim authorities accountable for ensuring these weapons do not empower non-state actors such as the TTP, ISKP, BLA, and the Majeed Brigade, all of whom have used such weaponry against Pakistani civilians and law enforcement agencies.
The Washington Post earlier corroborated Pakistan’s claims, reporting that weapons left behind by the US military were used in the March attack on the Jaffar Express train in Balochistan, further confirming Islamabad’s long-held apprehensions. The Pakistani Foreign Office has described the presence of these modern arms in Afghanistan as a profound concern for regional peace and security, urging the UN to launch a concerted campaign to recover and neutralize these weapons.
The cumulative picture is one of deliberate destabilization as Afghanistan’s failure to control militant sanctuaries, India’s covert operations through Afghan proxies, and the unregulated circulation of Western arms have combined to create an ecosystem of violence threatening Pakistan’s internal stability and regional peace. Yet, amid these mounting challenges, Pakistan’s resilience remains unshaken. Its armed forces, intelligence agencies, and diplomatic institutions continue to act with professionalism and restraint, seeking peace without compromising sovereignty. The country’s call for international accountability is not a plea for sympathy but a principled demand for justice against state-sponsored terrorism.
The unfolding security environment has made one thing abundantly clear that Pakistan is no longer willing to bear the cost of others’ duplicity. The Afghan Taliban stand at a decisive crossroads as they either honour their international obligations by eliminating terrorist sanctuaries or face strategic isolation. India’s persistent meddling and exploitation of regional fault lines must also be confronted through global exposure and diplomatic countermeasures. Pakistan’s message is unequivocal, while it remains committed to peace and dialogue, its sovereignty and the safety of its people are non-negotiable. The Islamabad attack, the Wana assault, and the continuing influx of weapons from Afghanistan are not isolated incidents, since they are parts of a broader pattern of hybrid warfare against Pakistan. But as history has shown, Pakistan’s unity, resolve, and faith in its institutions will continue to serve as the strongest bulwark against these threats.
