Security on high alert as Terror attacks hit Islamabad and Wana

PESHAWAR/ISLAMABAD: Security authorities across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have been placed on high alert following two major terrorist attacks in Islamabad and Wana, South Waziristan, raising concerns about coordinated assaults on sensitive targets.

The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has issued urgent directives to all Regional Police Officers and senior officials to strengthen security measures across the province. The IGP emphasized tighter protection at educational institutions, courts, police installations, and other sensitive sites.

Officers were instructed to maintain continuous monitoring and enhanced vigilance to prevent any further incidents. Security agencies have also been tasked with increasing surveillance and patrols around judicial and educational premises, particularly in areas vulnerable to attacks.

In Wana, Pakistani security forces successfully thwarted a major attack on an army-run cadet college. Authorities reported that two militants from the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) were killed during the attempt to take cadets hostage.

The attack involved a suicide car bomber and five other assailants. Troops responded swiftly, preventing the militants from reaching the main college building. According to Alamgir Mahsud, the local police chief, three attackers managed to enter the compound before being cornered in an administrative block.

Dozens of houses near the college were badly damaged by the blast and impact from the suicide vehicle, and at least 16 civilians were wounded. All cadets, instructors, and staff remained unharmed.

Authorities alleged that the attackers had support from India and were being guided by handlers operating from Afghanistan.

The TTP is a designated terrorist organization and operates independently, though it maintains loose links with Afghanistan’s Taliban. Rising tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have accompanied an ongoing campaign against TTP militants using sanctuaries across the border.

Meanwhile, in Islamabad, a suicide explosion outside the District Judicial Complex killed at least 12 people and injured more than 30. The blast struck at 12:39pm (07:39 GMT) in a typically crowded area of lawyers, litigants, and visitors.

President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the attack, while Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi confirmed it was a suicide blast. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif blamed India for both the Islamabad explosion and the assault in Wana. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif described the incidents as a “wake-up call” and stated that the country was “in a state of war.”

The attacks have drawn international concern. China, the European Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States have issued statements expressing condolences and condemning the violence.

Security officials across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa continue to monitor the situation closely, with increased patrols and emergency measures in place to prevent further attacks.