Pakistan Officially Enters Wartime Status

According to Rokna, the attack, which occurred near the central court of Islamabad, left at least 12 dead and 27 injured.

This marks the first major attack in Pakistan’s capital in over a decade and signals a potential resurgence of violence and insurgency across the country.

According to Pakistan’s Interior Minister, Mohsin Naqvi, the assailant attempted to enter the court building but detonated at the entrance. Dozens of lawyers, judges, and defendants were present inside the complex at the time of the explosion. The attacker was killed on the spot.

Analysts have described the attack as a new security alarm for Pakistan, as previous militant violence had primarily been concentrated in the country’s western border regions.

Islamabad, a calm and green city with a population of approximately one million, hosts government institutions, embassies, and international organizations.

Pakistan’s Defense Minister, Khawaja Asif, declared that the country is “in a state of war,” adding, “Anyone who believes that the war is only occurring in border areas should consider today’s attack a wake-up call for all of Pakistan.”

An American security expert also described the attack as “highly concerning,” noting, “If Islamabad is not safe, no part of Pakistan is safe.”

A group affiliated with the Pakistani Taliban initially claimed responsibility for the attack, but the official spokesperson of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) denied any involvement.

A similar pattern was observed in a previous attack in 2023 on a mosque in Peshawar, which resulted in over 100 deaths.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, without presenting evidence, accused India of instigating the attack and Afghanistan of providing sanctuary to the attackers, claims that New Delhi has dismissed as “baseless and unfounded.”

According to the Japan Times, in parallel with this incident, Pakistani forces have been engaged in heavy fighting since Monday in the country’s west with TTP militants at a military college. The Pakistani military reports that over 350 people have been evacuated, while approximately 300 remain under siege.

In recent weeks, tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have escalated, with both countries conducting reciprocal airstrikes.

Islamabad accuses the Afghan Taliban government of supporting and harboring TTP leaders — a claim Kabul strongly rejects.

With talks between the two countries, mediated by Qatar and Turkey, having failed, Islamabad stated that “the Afghan Taliban have offered only empty promises and have taken no action against TTP elements.”

In response, the Afghan Taliban issued a statement condemning the attacks in Islamabad and at the military college.