Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has declared the country is "in a state of war" following a devastating suicide bombing that struck outside the Islamabad district courts on Tuesday, leaving at least 12 people dead and 27 others injured.
Minister's Stern Warning and Kabul Accusations
In a strongly worded post on social media platform X, Asif delivered a chilling wake-up call to the nation, stating that "this is a war for all of Pakistan." He emphasized that the attack in the capital should erase any misconceptions that the conflict was limited to border regions.
The defence minister directly accused the Taliban government in Kabul of enabling militant operations, asserting that Afghanistan "has the ability to prevent terrorist attacks inside Pakistan." He warned that hoping for negotiations with Kabul would be a "mistake" and declared that Pakistan "has the strength to respond fully" to the threat.
Chaotic Scene at Court Complex
The explosion occurred around midday in Islamabad's G-11 district, just outside the judicial complex where hundreds of lawyers and visitors were present. Police investigations revealed that the attacker attempted to enter the court premises but failed, ultimately detonating his explosives next to a police vehicle.
The powerful blast ignited multiple cars and sent a fireball through the street, creating scenes of chaos and panic. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi confirmed the casualty figures and revealed that authorities had recovered a severed head believed to belong to the attacker. CCTV footage captured the bomber moments before the detonation.
Witnesses described terrifying moments with people screaming for help as emergency services rushed to the site. This marks the first major suicide attack in Islamabad in three years, making it one of the deadliest incidents to hit the capital in recent times.
Escalating Militant Violence and Regional Tensions
The court complex bombing comes amid a sharp increase in militant violence across Pakistan. Security officials report that the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has carried out hundreds of attacks this year, primarily in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province near the Afghan border.
In a related development, militants attempted to storm an army-run college in Wana, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Monday night. Security forces successfully killed two attackers while others were cornered inside an administrative building. All students and staff were safely evacuated during the operation.
The military noted that the assault bore similarities to the TTP's brutal 2014 massacre in Peshawar that claimed 154 lives. Pakistan maintains that the Afghan Taliban have allowed TTP fighters to operate freely from across the border, while Afghanistan consistently denies providing sanctuary to the group.
Peace talks between Islamabad and Kabul have reached a stalemate, with Pakistan demanding written guarantees that Afghan territory will not be used to launch attacks against its soil. The latest violence has further intensified these diplomatic tensions, pushing the region toward increased confrontation.
