Islamabad, Pakistan – A suicide bomber detonated near the Islamabad High Court on Monday, killing at least 12 people and injuring dozens more, pakistani Interior Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq kakar confirmed. The attack underscores a recent surge in militant violence within Pakistan, raising concerns about security and regional stability.
The bombing targeted the vicinity of the court complex, a busy area in the capital. Authorities have not yet released a detailed breakdown of the casualties, but officials report that lawyers, police personnel, and civilians were among those killed and wounded.”We will not allow the blood of innocent Pakistanis to go to waste,” stated Prime minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, describing the attack as “reprehensible.”
The Pakistani Taliban, or TTP, has claimed responsibility for the attack, demonstrating a resurgence in activity since the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul in 2021. many TTP leaders and fighters are believed to be sheltering in Afghanistan, fueling tensions between the two countries. Pakistan experienced a devastating school attack in 2014, when Taliban gunmen killed 154 people, mostly children, in Peshawar. According to the military, Monday’s assailants intended to replicate the 2014 Peshawar attack.
Recent attempts to de-escalate tensions through peace talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan have stalled. Discussions held in Istanbul, most recently on Thursday, ended without a breakthrough after Kabul refused to provide written assurances that Afghan territory would not be used by the TTP and othre militant groups against Pakistan. A previous ceasefire brokered by Kabul in 2022 also collapsed after accusations of violations by Islamabad.
The attack follows a period of heightened cross-border conflict in October, triggered by Pakistani accusations of drone strikes within Afghanistan. The resulting clashes led to dozens of casualties before a ceasefire was brokered by Qatar on october 19, which currently remains in effect.