— Says 71% of Pakistan’s terror attacks hit KP in 2025 with permissive politics and foreign support
— DG ISPR criticizes PTI govt, warns of Afghan bases and India-backed terror funding
— 5,397 terror attacks in 2025; K-P worst hit, 1,803 militants, 1,235 security personnel killed
— Army stresses national unity, warns against withdrawals as terrorism remains top threat
RAWALPINDI: Director-General of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lt. General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry on Tuesday said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) emerged as the epicenter of terrorism in Pakistan in 2025, accounting for 71% of all attacks nationwide, warning that a politically permissive environment in the province had enabled militants to operate and build networks.
Addressing a press conference here at the ISPR, Gen Chaudhry highlighted increasing wave of terrorism as an “unprecedented security challenge,” citing foreign-backed support from India and terrorist safe havens in Afghanistan.
The military chief also strongly criticised Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leadership over counterterrorism narratives and stressed that the fight against terrorism was a national struggle requiring unity, not political interference.
The DG ISPR said that the fight against terrorism is a collective struggle of the entire nation and that Pakistan remains fully determined to eradicate this menace. He said the purpose of the briefing was to provide a comprehensive overview of the counter-terrorism measures undertaken over the past year.
Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif said that the past year witnessed an “unprecedented intensity in counter-terrorism efforts.” In 2025, both the state and the people of Pakistan achieved complete clarity regarding the threat of terrorism, he added.
Sharing details, the DG ISPR said that a total of 75,175 intelligence-based operations (IBOs) were conducted in 2025. Of these, 14,658 operations were carried out in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), 58,778 in Balochistan, and 1,739 in other parts of the country.
He said that 2,597 terrorists were killed during the year, including 1,800 in KP, 784 in Balochistan, and 10 in other areas. Moreover, he said that 1,235 law enforcement personnel and civilians embraced martyrdom in the war against terrorism during 2025.
Regarding suicide bombing, Ahmed Sharif said that a total of 27 took placed in 2025. Of them, 16 took place in KP, 10 in Balochistan and one in Islamabad, at the judicial complex.
He said 3,811 terrorism-related incidents occurred in KPK, raising the critical question of why 80 percent of terrorist incidents are happening in the province.
Recalling past developments, the DG ISPR warned that similar political rhetoric in the past had led to the army’s withdrawal from Swat, with grave consequences. “What followed was not a small price — hundreds, even thousands of children and civilians in Swat, Matta and across KP paid with their lives, along with soldiers,” he said, questioning whether there was now an attempt to once again oppose operations and allow militant control, thereby enabling the spread of a terrorism nexus across the region.
He accused terrorist groups operating from Afghanistan and alleged Indian support of fuelling terrorism inside Pakistan, saying the country faced an unprecedented security challenge in 2025. DG ISPR said militant organisations were using Afghan territory as their operational base, while funding and support were coming from India.
Referring to what he described as new investment patterns linked to terrorism, Chaudhry said, “The most prominent pattern affecting Pakistan points towards India.” He added that Afghanistan remained the base of operations for militant groups targeting Pakistan. The DG ISPR said a “war economy” was a major driver of terrorism. Citing reports, he said around $147 billion was spent on Afghanistan’s reconstruction, raising questions about where the money went.
He said when such financial flows stopped, groups dependent on conflict sought to sustain themselves by spreading terrorism across the region. He also said $7.2 billion worth of US military equipment, including advanced weapons, was left behind in Afghanistan, adding that political and internal facilitation had taken place during the same period. Pakistan, he said, took a firm stand against these elements in 2023.
Chaudhry said developments in Afghanistan since 2021 had reshaped the terrorism landscape. He referred to the Doha agreement between the Afghan Taliban and the United States and its international partners, which committed to forming an inclusive government, preventing the use of Afghan territory for terrorism and protecting women’s rights.
However, he said those commitments were not fulfilled. “An inclusive government did not form, Afghan territory was used by multiple terrorist organisations, and groups such as the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) began operating from Afghanistan,” he said. He added that due to the situation in Syria, around 2,500 militants had recently moved to Afghanistan, saying they were neither Afghan nor Pakistani.
The military spokesperson said 2025 was a “landmark and consequential year in our fight against terrorism,” as security forces launched an extensive nationwide campaign amid a sharp rise in attacks. “This is the only purpose of this press conference, and I would request that we remain focused on counter-terrorism, as terrorism is the biggest threat being faced by the state of Pakistan right now,” he said.
According to the DG ISPR, security forces conducted an average of more than 206 intelligence-based operations (IBOs) daily in 2025. By the end of the year, the total number of IBOs reached 75,175. Most operations were carried out in Balochistan, where 58,778 IBOs were conducted. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa followed with 14,658 operations, while 1,739 took place in the rest of the country.
The DG ISPR said the world has also accepted and acknowledged Pakistan’s stance and narrative regarding terrorism, particularly about Afghanistan. Terrorists have no connection with Islam and that Afghanistan has become a base of operations for terrorism in the region, he added.
He said that terrorists and “Fitna-e-Hindustan” have no link with Balochistan or the Baloch people. He said that 10 major terrorist incidents took place during 2025, including attacks on Bannu Cantonment, the Jaffar Express, a civilian bus in Noshki, and a school bus in Khuzdar, he added.
He said that the Federal Constabulary Headquarters, FC Headquarters Quetta, Police Training School Dera Ismail Khan, Cadet College Wana, and the Islamabad Judicial Complex were also targeted.
He said that the Federal Constabulary Headquarters in Peshawar was attacked again, adding that Afghans were found to be involved in all 10 major terrorist incidents.
The DG said every attacker involved was Afghan and was eliminated, and that terrorism-related incidents had declined after the border was closed. He said that Pakistan’s stance against terrorism is clear, and the world has acknowledged and appreciated the country’s efforts to combat it.
Regarding Afghanistan, Ahmed Sharif said the country has turned into a haven for terrorists, with various militant organizations from around the world operating from its soil. Sanctuaries of groups such as Al-Qaeda, Daesh, the BLA, and the TTP exist in Afghanistan, impacting not only Pakistan but also other neighboring countries, he said.
The DG said that according to recent intelligence, around 2,500 terrorists have arrived in Afghanistan from Syria, none of whom are Pakistani.
He termed this a serious threat to regional security, adding that Afghanistan’s neighboring countries are also being affected by terrorism due to this situation and that the international community should take notice.
He further said that the United States left behind a large quantity of advanced weaponry during its withdrawal from Afghanistan, which is not only being used in terrorist activities in Pakistan but also poses security risks to the entire region.
The DG ISPR went on to say that India is using terrorist groups as proxies in the region and is providing them with weapons and financial support. “Security institutions possess evidence in this regard, and that the issue has become a serious threat to regional peace,” he concluded.
