Pakistan is once again grappling with a surge of violence and diplomatic tensions after two deadly suicide attacks shook the nation this week, reigniting old fears and testing fragile peace efforts with neighboring Afghanistan. The attacks, which targeted a military-run cadet college near the Afghan border and a district court in the capital Islamabad, have left at least 15 people dead, dozens wounded, and prompted urgent calls for renewed dialogue with the Taliban government in Kabul.
The first attack unfolded late on November 11, 2025, when militants stormed Cadet College Wana in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. According to AP and Caliber.Az, the assault began with a suicide bomber ramming an explosives-laden vehicle into the college gate. Security forces responded swiftly, and after a tense standoff, all five attackers were killed. The operation was hailed as a success in terms of rescue: more than 600 people—including 525 cadets, their teachers, and staff—were safely evacuated. However, the attack claimed the lives of three soldiers, and authorities said the assailants appeared to be attempting a repeat of the 2014 Peshawar school massacre, a tragedy that left 154 people dead, most of them children.
Just a day later, on November 12, Islamabad’s sense of security was shattered when a suicide bomber detonated outside the gates of a district court on the city’s edge. The blast killed 12 people and wounded 27, underscoring the persistent threat of high-profile attacks even in the nation’s capital, which had largely been considered safe compared to the conflict-hit northwest. Forensic teams quickly sealed the blast site, combing through debris for evidence as grief-stricken families gathered at hospitals and funeral prayers were held for the victims.
Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi wasted no time in pointing fingers. In a statement reported by AP and Caliber.Az, Naqvi said, “In both of the suicide bombings, Afghan citizens were involved, and they carried out the attacks.” He went further, blaming “Indian-backed elements and Afghan Taliban proxies” linked to the Pakistani Taliban (TTP), though he admitted that evidence for these claims had not yet been presented. Both India and Afghanistan’s Taliban-led government have rejected such accusations, while the TTP itself denied involvement in the attacks. Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a breakaway faction, initially claimed responsibility for the Islamabad bombing but quickly retracted the statement, muddying the waters even further.
The attacks have reignited simmering tensions between Islamabad and Kabul, which have been on edge since October 9, when Pakistan allegedly launched drone strikes in Kabul that killed several people. According to AP, these strikes sparked cross-border clashes that left dozens of soldiers, civilians, and militants dead before Qatar brokered a ceasefire on October 19. Two subsequent rounds of peace talks in Istanbul collapsed after Kabul refused to provide written assurances that militants would not use Afghan soil for attacks in Pakistan.
The timing of the violence could hardly have been worse. Just hours after the Islamabad bombing, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif took to the airwaves with a renewed peace overture. In a televised speech to parliament on November 13, Sharif said, “Let us sit with sincere hearts, rein in terrorism, and work together for peace and prosperity in the region.” He stressed that Pakistan had only one demand in recent talks: Afghanistan must rein in the militants using its territory as a launchpad for attacks. “Afghanistan should realize that what is good for us is good for them. But it cannot be that they make promises and then fail to act,” Sharif stated, as reported by AP and Caliber.Az. Kabul, for its part, has not yet responded to the latest offer.
The surge in violence has not gone unnoticed by Pakistan’s military and political establishments. On November 13, parliament approved a bill to elevate Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir to the newly created post of Chief of Defense Forces. The government argued that this move would enhance coordination among the army, navy, and air force, while opposition parties boycotted the vote, claiming it could undermine democracy. The bill awaits the signature of President Asif Ali Zardari, which is considered a formality.
Meanwhile, the international community is watching closely. The Islamabad bombing drew widespread condemnation, and neighboring countries are recalibrating their diplomatic strategies. India, for instance, has upgraded its technical mission in Kabul to a full embassy, marking the first high-level engagement since the Taliban’s 2021 takeover. This move signals a shift in regional geopolitics, as India and the Taliban-led Afghan government seek to strengthen ties in business and humanitarian aid, despite lacking formal diplomatic relations.
The violence has also had ripple effects beyond the political arena. On November 13, the Sri Lanka cricket board advised its players to remain in Pakistan following the recent bomb blast, highlighting the ongoing security concerns that now threaten international sporting events as well as everyday life.
The attacks have left many Pakistanis shaken, especially in Islamabad, where the sense of safety has been deeply rattled. As AP reported, relatives of the victims gathered for funeral prayers, and the city’s hospitals worked to treat the wounded. Defense Minister Khawaja Asif told Geo News that the Islamabad bombing was “a message for Pakistan” meant to show that insurgents can strike deep inside the country. Asked whether Pakistan would retaliate and possibly target TTP hideouts in Afghanistan, Asif replied that “it cannot be ruled out,” though he again urged Kabul to rein in militants operating from its territory.
The Pakistani Taliban, or TTP, remains a central player in this dangerous game. Allied with but separate from the Afghan Taliban, the group has been emboldened since Kabul fell to the Taliban in 2021. Pakistan has long accused the Afghan Taliban of harboring TTP leaders and fighters—an allegation Kabul denies. The shadowy role of breakaway factions like Jamaat-ul-Ahrar only adds to the uncertainty, as does the lack of any clear claim of responsibility for the cadet college attack.
For now, Pakistan faces a precarious balancing act: it must shore up its own security, maintain diplomatic pressure on Kabul, and work to prevent a wider escalation along its borders. Whether Sharif’s latest peace offer gains traction—or whether the cycle of violence and recrimination continues—remains to be seen. What is clear is that the stakes could hardly be higher, for both Pakistan and the region at large.
As the dust settles and investigations continue, Pakistanis are left grappling with grief, anger, and uncertainty, hoping that this latest spate of violence will not derail what little progress has been made toward peace.
