Today’s suicide attack in Peshawar on November 24, 2025, once again exposes a harsh truth Pakistan has long been warning that Afghan soil continues to be used for terrorism inside Pakistan. The attack on the Frontier Constabulary (FC) headquarters, carried out by three Afghan suicide bombers, is not an isolated incident but part of a disturbing pattern of cross-border militancy orchestrated from Afghanistan.
- The November 24th Peshawar Attack – A Familiar Tragedy
- A Clear Pattern of Afghan-Origin Terror
- Afghanistan’s Denial and Pakistan’s Frustration
- Pakistan’s Patience Is Not Endless
- A Region at Risk
- What Pakistan Must Do
- A Time for Accountability
- The author, Anum Malik, is affiliated with the State News Agency and voluntarily contributes her research to the think tank, CDS.
- *The views and opinions expressed herein, and any references, are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of the Centre for Development and Stability (CDS).
The November 24th Peshawar Attack – A Familiar Tragedy
Early Monday morning, the calm of Peshawar was shattered as three suicide bombers and gunmen stormed the FC headquarters. One attacker blew himself up at the main gate, while the other two were shot dead before they could enter the compound. The timely action of the security forces saved dozens of lives, but three brave FC officers embraced martyrdom and several others sustained injuries.
Preliminary investigations by Pakistani authorities and reports aired on PTV confirmed that the attackers were Afghan nationals. The pattern of explosives, communication links, and tactics bore striking resemblance to earlier attacks traced back to networks operating inside Afghanistan.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack as a “cowardly act by foreign-backed terrorists,” while Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi vowed that those using Afghan territory to shed Pakistani blood would face consequences.
A Clear Pattern of Afghan-Origin Terror
This is not the first time Pakistan has provided proof of Afghan involvement.
Just two weeks earlier, on November 11, a suicide bombing outside an Islamabad court claimed 12 innocent lives. Investigations later revealed that the bomber and his handlers were Afghan nationals. Similarly, in South Waziristan, a deadly ambush targeting Pakistani security forces was traced to a TTP network directed from inside Afghanistan.
Pakistan’s intelligence agencies have repeatedly exposed how Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and its splinter groups enjoy safe sanctuaries in eastern Afghanistan, particularly in Kunar, Nuristan, and Paktika provinces. These groups plan, recruit, and train militants for attacks across the border, a reality even some international security reports have acknowledged.
Despite repeated assurances from Kabul, not a single senior TTP commander has been handed over to Pakistan. Instead, the group’s leadership continues to move freely under the nose of Afghanistan’s interim rulers.
Afghanistan’s Denial and Pakistan’s Frustration
The Taliban-led government in Kabul continues to deny any involvement, insisting that Pakistan must “fix its internal issues.” But this hollow argument ignores undeniable evidence. When suicide bombers carry Afghan identity cards, use Afghan SIMs, and cross from Afghan checkpoints into Pakistan, denial becomes complicity.
Pakistan’s frustration is justified. Since the Taliban takeover in August 2021, militant attacks inside Pakistan have surged by over 70%, according to independent security trackers. Most of these incidents have been linked to groups operating from Afghan territory.
This is not about politics, it’s about national survival. Afghanistan cannot preach sovereignty while allowing terror sanctuaries to exist a few kilometers from Pakistan’s border.
Pakistan’s Patience Is Not Endless
Pakistan has exercised remarkable restraint for years, despite constant provocations and cross-border attacks. It has engaged Kabul diplomatically, shared intelligence, and even offered economic assistance, yet Afghan authorities have failed to dismantle the networks killing Pakistanis.
Recently, security sources revealed that American-made weapons left behind in Afghanistan after the U.S. withdrawal are now being used in attacks against Pakistani forces. This not only exposes the scale of militant access in Afghanistan but also shows the grave regional threat it poses.
A Region at Risk
The Peshawar bombing, following the Islamabad court blast and earlier border clashes, has further strained relations between Islamabad and Kabul. The fragile ceasefire and dialogue attempts have failed, as Pakistan now faces an undeclared war from across its western border.
Pakistan’s political and military leadership are united on one stance — no tolerance for terrorism, no matter where it originates. The country has already paid a heavy price in its war against terror, sacrificing over 80,000 lives and billions in economic losses. Allowing militants to regroup in Afghanistan is not only a betrayal of Pakistan’s sacrifices but also a danger to regional peace.
What Pakistan Must Do
- Strengthen border management and complete fencing along the Durand Line.
- Adopt a zero-tolerance policy against cross-border infiltration.
- Engage the international community to press Kabul for action against TTP and other anti-Pakistan groups.
- Prepare for defensive operations if Afghan-based militants continue to attack Pakistani soil.
A Time for Accountability
Pakistan has been patient and diplomatic, but patience must not be mistaken for weakness. The truth is clear and proven Afghan soil is being used against Pakistan, and the November 24th Peshawar attack is living proof.
If Afghanistan truly wishes for peace and neighborly ties, it must act decisively against the terrorists sheltering within its borders. Otherwise, the region will continue to suffer from a fire that knows no boundaries.
Pakistan, for its part, stands resolute, ready to defend its sovereignty, its borders, and its people against all odds.
