ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has affirmed its readiness to respond decisively to cross-border terrorism after a deadly suicide attack in the capital claimed 12 lives. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif criticized the Afghan Taliban for allowing terrorism to spill into Islamabad and called hopes for a successful dialogue with Kabul “futile” amid what he described as a state of war.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi reported that the attack occurred at 12:39 pm, targeting a police vehicle after the bomber failed to enter a District and Sessions Court.
Asif emphasized that the fight against terrorism affects all of Pakistan, not just the border regions. “Those who think the army is only fighting along the Afghan border or in remote Balochistan should see this attack in Islamabad as a wake-up call,” he wrote on X.
The defence minister expressed skepticism about negotiations with the Taliban and warned that the attack carried a clear message from Kabul: “All your areas are within our reach.” Despite this, Asif vowed Pakistan would respond firmly to terrorism, whether it occurs in urban centers or border areas.
This was Islamabad’s first suicide attack in three years, highlighting a troubling rise in violence in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa since the Taliban took power in 2021. Cross-border attacks recently escalated into intense clashes, with Pakistan eliminating over 200 Taliban fighters and India-backed militants in retaliation.
Although a temporary ceasefire was agreed upon, negotiations between Pakistan and Afghanistan failed to finalize a lasting peace agreement. Islamabad continues to press Kabul to prevent its territory from being used as a base for militants targeting Pakistan.
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