Written by Were Kelly
Pakistan has publicly accused Afghan nationals of carrying out two devastating suicide bombings this week that killed 15 people and wounded more than 30, dramatically escalating cross-border tensions with the Taliban-led government in Kabul. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi told a tense session of parliament on Thursday that investigators had identified the bombers in the attacks on a cadet college in South Waziristan and a court complex in Islamabad as Afghan citizens, with their handlers operating from inside Afghanistan.
The violence began on November 10 with a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device targeting the Cadet College in Wana, South Waziristan, which killed three people and sparked a 24-hour gunfight between security forces and the attackers. The following day, a suicide bomber detonated his explosives near a police contingent outside a court in the capital, Islamabad, killing 12 individuals, including several lawyers, and injuring 27 others. The Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a separate entity from the Afghan Taliban, has issued conflicting statements, both denying and claiming responsibility for the attacks in unverified communiqués.
“In both cases, the suicide bombers have been identified as Afghan nationals,” Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi stated. “The handlers of these terrorists are based in Afghanistan, and we have proof from communication intercepts. We demand immediate and verifiable action from the Afghan authorities.” The Afghan government swiftly rejected the allegations. A spokesperson for the Taliban administration said, “These allegations are fabricated to justify Pakistan’s aggressive posture and the ongoing deportation of Afghan refugees. We do not allow our soil to be used against any country.”
The attacks have ignited fury on Pakistani social media, with many users demanding the complete closure of the border. The United Nations issued a statement condemning the violence. The UN Human Rights Office noted, “We condemn this senseless violence and urge both sides to de-escalate to prevent a wider humanitarian catastrophe.” The bombings occur amid a severe downturn in Pakistan-Afghanistan relations. Pakistan has long accused the Afghan Taliban of providing sanctuary and material support to the TTP, a claim Kabul consistently denies. Clashes along the disputed Durand Line have killed over 100 people this year alone, and Pakistan has expelled more than 500,000 Afghan nationals since 2023, citing security concerns. This latest accusation from a senior minister signals a dangerous new phase, raising the spectre of targeted Pakistani airstrikes inside Afghanistan and further destabilising a region already grappling with a severe displacement crisis.
Sources: Al Jazeera, Reuters, The Indian Express.
