PM Shehbaz, President Zardari reiterate ‘zero tolerance’ as terror strikes Islamabad, KP

• High-level huddle convened at Presidency after suicide attack outside G-11 court leaves 12 dead
• Leaders condemn attacks, pledge relentless action against foreign-backed ‘militants, facilitators’
• Bomb strike in DI Khan wounds 14 security personnel, Wana Cadet College operation underway to neutralise three terrorists

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday held “an urgent huddle” at the Presidency to review the country’s evolving security landscape after a string of deadly terrorist attacks, including the Islamabad suicide bombing left 12 people dead and 36 injured, according to a statement from the Presidency.

The high-level meeting came as fresh reports of violence continued to emerge from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, underscoring the gravity of the threat facing the country.

Earlier on Tuesday, a suicide attacker detonated explosives outside the district and sessions court premises in Islamabad’s G-11 area, killing 12 people on the spot and injuring 36 others in one of the deadliest assaults in the capital in recent months. The blast triggered alarm across the federal capital and prompted immediate security reviews.

Prime Minister @CMShehbaz met President @AAliZardari and discussed the overall political and security situation. Chairman Senate Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and senior members of the federal cabinet were also present. pic.twitter.com/Mkji3An5Or

— The President of Pakistan (@PresOfPakistan) November 11, 2025

In another incident, 14 security personnel were injured in a bomb attack in Dera Ismail Khan, while an operation to neutralise three terrorists at the Wana Cadet College was still underway at the time of the meeting. The back-to-back strikes revived concerns over the resurgence of militant networks and their expanding footprint.

According to state broadcaster PTV, Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani, National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq and federal ministers Syed Mushtaq Raza Naqvi, Chaudhry Salik Hussain, Azam Nazeer Tarar, Khalid Hussain Magsi and Abdul Aleem Khan attended the meeting alongside the prime minister and the president.

صدرِ مملکت آصف علی زرداری سے وزیراعظم محمد شہباز شریف کی ایوانِ صدر میں ملاقات

ملک کی مجموعی سیاسی اور سیکیورٹی صورتحال پر تبادلہ خیال

صدرِ مملکت اور وزیراعظم کا دہشت گردی کے حالیہ واقعات کی شدید مذمت

دونوں قائدین کا اس عزم کا اعادہ کہ غیر ملکی پشت پناہی یافتہ دہشت گردوں اور… pic.twitter.com/nqgF7ioNrj

— PTV News (@PTVNewsOfficial) November 11, 2025

The statement said the two leaders strongly condemned the day’s attacks and held an “exchange of views on the country’s overall political and security situation”. The meeting, dominated by discussions on counterterrorism strategies and the operational response of law enforcement agencies, also reviewed intelligence assessments related to foreign-backed networks operating inside Pakistan.

“Both leaders reaffirm their resolve that actions against foreign-backed terrorists and their facilitators will continue until the complete elimination of terrorism,” the broadcaster quoted in a post on X, highlighting a renewed emphasis on coordinated action by civil and military institutions.

The attacks come at a time when Pakistan has been grappling with a sharp rise in militant activity over the past year, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. The escalation has been attributed largely to the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which formally ended its ceasefire with the government in November 2022 and vowed to resume large-scale attacks targeting security forces, police and personnel of law enforcement agencies.

Security officials say the group’s splinter factions and allied networks have intensified efforts to regroup, while Islamabad maintains that many of these outfits enjoy safe havens across the border. The government has repeatedly stated that the new wave of attacks has foreign sponsorship, a concern echoed by the prime minister and the president during Tuesday’s meeting.

The fresh incidents have once again brought counterterrorism coordination under the spotlight, with officials warning that militant groups are seeking to exploit security gaps and political uncertainty. As operations continue in KP, including the one underway in Wana, authorities say the coming days will be crucial for assessing the trajectory of the threat.

Despite the challenges, the government maintains that the state’s resolve remains unshaken. Tuesday’s meeting at the Presidency, attended by the top political and parliamentary leadership, signalled a unified stance and the promise of intensified action in the days ahead.