- Mohsin Naqvi tells Senate suicide bomber in Cadet College Wana attack in South Waziristan was also Afghan
- Saying Deputy PM Dar and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif briefed on cross-border threat
- Seven suspected facilitators arrested in Rawalpindi and KP in coordinated counter-terror operation
ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Thursday disclosed that the suicide bomber behind the deadly attack at Islamabad’s judicial complex was “related to Afghanistan,” as authorities arrested seven suspects allegedly involved in facilitating the attack.
The revelation came amid a heightened security situation in the federal capital following a series of terror incidents across the country.
Speaking on the Senate floor, Naqvi termed the alleged Afghan links to Tuesday’s blast—which claimed 12 lives and left 35 injured—as a “very serious” concern. He noted that Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif had also been briefed on the matter.
Referring to the Cadet College Wana attack in South Waziristan on November 10, Naqvi said the suicide bomber in that incident was also from Afghanistan.
“It is becoming very difficult for us; the way people from Afghanistan are coming here and attacking us,” he said, adding that, with Deputy PM Ishaq Dar also taking up the issue, the government will do “whatever is possible” to tackle the threat.
He further highlighted ongoing measures to ensure that illegal Afghan nationals residing in Pakistan are identified and expelled.
International solidarity
Later on Thursday, Naqvi shared on X that he had a “deeply reassuring telephonic call” with Bahrain’s Interior Minister General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, who “unequivocally condemned the terrorist attack in Islamabad and conveyed heartfelt condolences on the loss of innocent lives.”
The Bahraini minister also reaffirmed his country’s “unwavering support and solidarity with Pakistan at all times,” according to Naqvi.
Arrests of suspected facilitators
Earlier, Rawalpindi’s Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) arrested seven suspects allegedly involved in facilitating the suicide bombing in Islamabad.
A police source stated that the suspects were apprehended from Fauji Colony (Pirwadhai area) and Dhoke Kashmirian in Rawalpindi, while additional raids were conducted in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
Investigators had also detained a bike rider from an online ride-hailing platform who had dropped off the bomber at the judicial complex. CCTV footage helped trace the rider, who is now in protective custody.
Context of recent attacks
The Islamabad blast occurred amid international events in the capital, including the Inter-Parliamentary Speakers’ Conference and the 6th Margalla Dialogue, as well as a cricket match in Rawalpindi between Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
The attack coincided with a bomb incident in KP’s Dera Ismail Khan, which injured 14 security personnel, and came a day after the Cadet College Wana attack, where all students and staff were rescued, but three individuals were martyred during the clearance operation.
Government response: ‘State of war’
Following the Islamabad and Wana attacks, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif accused Afghanistan and India of involvement in the surge of terrorism and vowed a “befitting response” to the nation’s enemies.
Hours after the blast, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif described the incident as a “wake-up call” and stated that Pakistan was effectively “in a state of war.”
“Anyone who thinks that the Pakistan Army is fighting this war in the Afghan-Pakistan border region and the remote areas of Balochistan, today’s suicide attack at the Islamabad district courts is a wake-up call,” he remarked, underscoring the heightened threat environment.
Interior Minister Naqvi also emphasized that authorities were carefully investigating potential links and warned that the timing and location of the attack carried a deliberate message.
Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry confirmed that the suicide bomber was not a Pakistani national, adding: “He did not know Pakistan’s language nor did he know of the country’s currency,” further substantiating claims of cross-border involvement.
The federal government has pledged to strengthen border controls, enhance intelligence coordination, and accelerate operations against terror networks operating within and across Pakistan’s borders. Authorities are working to ensure that suspects involved in these attacks are brought to justice swiftly, while diplomatic channels are being leveraged to address cross-border terrorism concerns.
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