On November 11, 2025, the heart of Islamabad was rocked by a devastating suicide bombing that left at least 12 people dead and 27 wounded, shattering a sense of security that had, until recently, seemed almost routine in Pakistan’s capital. The attack, which struck near the city’s district court buildings, was claimed by the Pakistani Taliban, or Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and marked the first such assault on the city in nearly three years, according to AFP. The explosion sent glass flying, cars ablaze, and people fleeing in terror—a grim reminder that the threat of militancy has not faded from the region.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos and panic that unfolded in the immediate aftermath. "Everyone started running inside out of panic. I have seen at least five dead bodies lying at the front gate," recounted lawyer Mohammed Shahzad Butt, speaking to AFP. Another lawyer, Rustam Malik, said, "I heard a loud bang at the gate as I was entering the complex. It was complete chaos, lawyers and people were running inside the complex. I saw two dead bodies lying on the gate and several cars were on fire." The attack, which targeted judges, lawyers, and officials involved in rulings under what the TTP called "Pakistan’s un-Islamic laws," was a deliberate strike at the country’s legal establishment.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi confirmed the grim toll and described the moment the assailant detonated explosives near a police vehicle. Paramilitary troops quickly cordoned off the area, which also houses several government offices, as emergency responders worked to clear the wounded and secure the scene. The TTP, in a statement, threatened more attacks until Islamic law is implemented in the Muslim-majority country, raising fears of a renewed campaign of violence.
Islamabad has largely escaped major militant attacks in recent years, with the last suicide bombing in the capital occurring in December 2022. But the latest attack comes amid a surge in violence across the country, much of it attributed by Pakistani officials to armed groups allegedly operating from Afghan soil. On the eve of the Islamabad bombing, militants had holed up in a school in northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Wana district, near the Afghan border, resulting in the deaths of three people. Interior Minister Naqvi pointed the finger at Afghanistan, stating, "There was an attack in Wana as well last night. Three people died in that attack. The attacker involved in that attack is an Afghan. Afghanistan is directly involved in that attack."
This surge in violence is not occurring in a vacuum. In October 2025, a bloody clash erupted between Pakistan and Afghanistan, marking the worst fighting across their shared border in years. The United Nations reported that more than 70 people were killed on both sides, including about 50 Afghan civilians. While the two countries managed to agree to a fragile ceasefire, efforts to finalize its details collapsed during several rounds of negotiations in early November, with each side blaming the other for the impasse.
Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif did not mince words in the wake of the Islamabad bombing, calling it "a wake-up call." He added, "In this environment, it would be futile to hold out greater hope for successful negotiations with the rulers of Kabul," as reported by AFP. Islamabad has long accused Kabul of sheltering the Pakistani Taliban and other militant groups that launch attacks across their long, porous border—a charge Afghanistan has consistently denied.
Just a day after the bombing, Pakistan’s National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq met with Iran’s Deputy Speaker Ali Nikzad, who was leading a parliamentary delegation to Islamabad. The timing was no coincidence. The meeting, held on November 12, 2025, focused on expanding parliamentary and economic cooperation, but regional security challenges dominated the agenda, according to a statement from the National Assembly Secretariat.
During their conversation, Sadiq voiced deep concern over militant violence emanating from Afghanistan. He stated, "Afghanistan’s soil is being used for terrorism in Pakistan," echoing the government’s accusations against Afghan authorities for harboring militants and facilitating cross-border attacks. Sadiq emphasized, "Pakistan remains committed to the complete elimination of terrorism and to resolving conflicts through peaceful means." The speaker also highlighted the importance of cooperation between Pakistan and Iran for regional peace, describing the two as "brotherly neighbors bound by shared history, religion and culture."
Iran, which also shares a border with Afghanistan and maintains relations with both Kabul and Islamabad, has offered to mediate between the two sides. This offer came after border clashes in October and the subsequent collapse of peace talks in Istanbul earlier in November. The Iranian deputy speaker, Ali Nikzad, extended condolences over the Islamabad suicide bombing and praised Pakistan’s "steadfast support" during Iran’s recent war with Israel. Nikzad also pointed to wide-ranging opportunities to expand cooperation between the two countries in multiple sectors, suggesting that regional unity could be a counterweight to instability.
The conversation between Sadiq and Nikzad also touched on broader regional crises. Sadiq condemned Israeli strikes on Iran, noting that Pakistan’s parliament had unanimously passed a resolution denouncing the attacks and congratulated Iran for its "firm response." He thanked Tehran for its support to Pakistan during a military standoff with India in May 2025 and called for unity among Muslim countries in the face of growing challenges.
The events of the past week have underscored just how fragile peace remains in Pakistan and its neighborhood. The surge in attacks—blamed on Afghan-based militants—has not only reignited old tensions between Islamabad and Kabul but also drawn in regional players like Iran, eager to prevent a wider conflagration. The failed peace talks in Istanbul and the ongoing accusations of cross-border militancy have left relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan at a low ebb. Meanwhile, the Pakistani Taliban’s renewed threats and the government’s warnings suggest that the specter of violence may continue to haunt the region for the foreseeable future.
As Pakistan grapples with the aftermath of the Islamabad bombing and the broader resurgence of militancy, officials are left weighing their options: ramp up security, seek new diplomatic solutions, or rely on regional partnerships to contain the threat. For ordinary Pakistanis, however, the attack has shattered any illusions of safety in the capital, serving as a stark reminder that the battle against extremism is far from over.
The coming weeks will test not only Pakistan’s resolve but also the willingness of its neighbors to work together in pursuit of a more stable and secure future. With Iran offering to mediate and both Islamabad and Kabul under pressure to rein in militant violence, the path forward remains uncertain. But for now, the scars left by the Islamabad bombing run deep, and the search for answers—and peace—continues.