Islamabad, February 8, 2026: President Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday renewed warnings over threats to global peace posed by terrorist organisations operating from Afghanistan, sharply criticising the Taliban regime’s policies, which he said had created conditions “similar to or worse than pre-9/11.”
The president made the remarks in a statement issued by the President’s Secretariat while thanking world leaders for expressing solidarity with Pakistan following the deadly attack on an imambargah in Islamabad that killed 36 people and injured more than 160. The attack was claimed by the militant Islamic State (IS) group.
Reiterating Pakistan’s resolve to combat terrorism and violent extremism, President Zardari said terrorism could not be tackled by any single country in isolation. Drawing on Pakistan’s experience, he warned that when terrorist groups are allowed space, facilitation, or impunity beyond national borders, the consequences are borne by innocent civilians worldwide.
In this context, he said certain neighbouring countries had effectively become “partners in crime” by allowing terrorist elements to operate against Pakistan from their soil, while others provided financial, technical, and military support to such groups.
“Pakistan takes strong exception to the situation in Afghanistan, where the Taliban regime has created conditions similar to or worse than pre-9/11, when terror organisations posed grave threats to global peace, ultimately culminating in the 9/11 tragedy,” the statement quoted him as saying.
President Zardari also accused India of assisting the Taliban regime and threatening not only Pakistan but regional and global peace. Following Friday’s attack in Islamabad, senior government officials, including Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, had also blamed “Indian-backed proxies” for the assault.
Appreciating the international response, the president thanked world leaders, governments, and international organisations for standing with Pakistan. “Pakistan is humbled by the strong and sincere outpouring of support and solidarity,” he said, adding that the messages had brought comfort to the nation and strength to the grieving families.
Pakistan has repeatedly maintained that Afghan soil is being used by terrorist groups to carry out attacks inside the country and has urged the Taliban authorities to rein in militant organisations targeting Pakistani civilians and security forces.
