Islamabad, May 11, 2026: Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday summoned the Afghan Chargé d’Affaires to lodge a strong demarche over the deadly vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) attack on the Fateh Khel Police Post in Bannu District, which claimed the lives of 15 police personnel.
According to the Foreign Office, the attack was carried out on May 9 by terrorists affiliated with “Fitna-al-Khawarij” and also left four others injured, including a civilian.
During the meeting, Pakistani authorities conveyed that a detailed investigation, supported by evidence and technical intelligence, indicated that the attack had been orchestrated by terrorists operating from Afghan territory.
The Foreign Office reiterated Pakistan’s serious concerns regarding the continued use of Afghan soil for terrorist activities targeting Pakistan and warned that Islamabad reserved the right to respond decisively against those responsible for the “barbaric act.”
The ministry further highlighted that the presence of multiple terrorist organizations in Afghanistan, along with what it described as a permissive operational environment, had been documented in reports issued by international bodies, including the United Nations Monitoring Team.
Pakistan stressed that counterterrorism remained a shared responsibility and urged the Afghan Taliban authorities to fulfill their commitments by preventing the use of Afghan territory for attacks against other countries.
The statement added that Pakistan had repeatedly called on the Afghan Taliban regime to take “concrete and verifiable action” against militant groups, including Fitna-al-Khawarij, Fitna-al-Hindustan and ISKP/Daesh elements allegedly operating from Afghanistan.
Islamabad also noted that it had engaged constructively with the Afghan Taliban through multiple rounds of talks facilitated by friendly countries, but claimed that the Afghan side had failed to deliver meaningful action against the groups concerned.
The Foreign Office warned that Pakistan would not compromise on its national security or the safety of its citizens if militant organizations continued to find sanctuary across the border.
The incident comes amid heightened security concerns in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and renewed calls for stronger regional cooperation against militancy.
At least 15 police officers were martyred and three others wounded late on Saturday night after terrorists rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into Fateh Khel police post in Bannu, followed by attacks from multiple directions with heavy weaponry and drones.
Bannu Regional Police Officer (RPO) Sajjad Khan confirmed that a total of 18 police personnel were on duty at the post when it was attacked. The initial assault began when terrorists drove a vehicle filled with explosives into the post.
Following the massive blast, militants opened heavy fire and launched a multi-pronged ground attack, according to authorities. “Fifteen were martyred and three sustained injuries,” the RPO said.
A senior administration official in Bannu told AFP the assailants also used quadcopters during the assault.
There has been a resurgence in terrorism in Pakistan since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in Kabul in 2021.
Islamabad has repeatedly urged the Taliban administration to dismantle terrorist sanctuaries on Afghan soil, particularly those linked to the banned TTP. Officials say those appeals have gone unheeded.
Operation Ghazab lil-Haq was launched on the night of February 26, following unprovoked firing by the Afghan Taliban from across the border.
From March 18 to 23, Pakistan observed a five-day temporary pause in the operation on the occasion of Eidul Fitr, with the FO later saying it would continue “until its objectives are achieved”.
De-escalation requests from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkiye were part of the reasons behind the pauses announced by both sides, according to their respective statements.
In early March, Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir had said that peace between Pakistan and Afghanistan could only prevail if the Taliban regime “renounced their support for terrorism and terrorist organisations”.
In April, the two countries held talks in China’s Urumqi and agreed to avoid any escalation in their armed conflict.
