Islamabad, November 13,2025: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Thursday accused the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), with backing from elements inside Afghanistan and India, of orchestrating recent terror attacks inside Pakistan, and said investigators had identified Afghan nationals among those involved.
Speaking to reporters at Parliament House, Asif said Islamabad had warned for months that the TTP could not carry out attacks of this scale without external support, and that the “onus of action now falls on Kabul.” He added: “The identities of Afghan nationals have been established… the evidence is now before the whole world to see.”
Asif also accused India of providing material or proxy support aimed at undermining peace in Pakistan. He said those who attack the country would be pursued relentlessly, warning militants: “We will pursue them to the last corner of the earth and we will annihilate them.” The minister framed Pakistan’s response as part of a broader struggle that the state would win, drawing on past successes against insurgencies.
The remarks came in the aftermath of a suicide bombing outside the Islamabad Judicial Complex that killed at least 12 people and wounded dozens — an attack for which the TTP has claimed responsibility. Pakistani leaders, including the prime minister and interior ministry, have linked the attack to groups operating from Afghan soil and accused foreign proxies of involvement, heightening diplomatic tensions in the region.
Kabul has repeatedly rejected claims that it shelters or backs the TTP, and Afghan officials have resisted taking responsibility for Pakistan’s security concerns. Pakistani authorities say recent investigations — including forensic and intelligence work — point to cross-border links and multiple foreign nationals among the suspects, a charge that has intensified calls in Islamabad for stronger action and accountability from the Afghan side.
Asif’s statements follow a period of strained Pakistan-Afghanistan relations marked by border skirmishes and failed rounds of talks aimed at setting up verification mechanisms to stop militant transit. Islamabad has signalled that while it prefers diplomatic channels, it will respond “befittingly” should attacks continue to originate from Afghan territory.
The Islamabad attack has amplified public and political pressure on the government to demonstrate decisive action. Analysts say linking such incidents to external actors — whether Kabul or New Delhi — is likely to complicate any prospect of de-escalation unless clear, verifiable cooperation is shown by Afghanistan.
Pakistan’s security establishment has in recent weeks increased operations against militants in its border regions and intensified diplomatic démarches with Kabul. The Defence Minister’s claims are likely to figure prominently in upcoming bilateral and multilateral discussions about cross-border militancy and regional stability.
Government spokesmen have said evidence gathered so far will be shared with international partners and that Islamabad expects Kabul to act on the information. Pakistan has also reiterated calls for a practical, written mechanism to ensure militant sanctuaries are dismantled and that cross-border attacks are prevented.
