ISLAMABAD (Sapeher Times) Armed Forces, Pakistani Nation United Against Terrorism

ISLAMABAD (Sapeher Times) Terrorism is a major threat to the world, and the armed forces and the nation of Pakistan are united against it. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has also emphasized that the armed forces and the nation of Pakistan stand together in the war against terrorism, the Pakistani forces are standing together against terrorism in the country and on the external front against enemies. The world recognizes the professionalism of the Pakistani armed forces. The Pakistani forces are standing together against terrorism in the country and on the external front against enemies. Terrorism has become a serious problem for Pakistan at this time and the painful thing is that these terrorist acts are being carried out by militant groups taking refuge in the neighboring country, Afghanistan, in which Pakistan’s security forces, civilians and important installations are being targeted. Pakistan has made it clear that it will not tolerate any terrorist group. For the past two years, Pakistan has been continuously informing the Afghan interim government about its reservations over the presence of the TTP and the Afghan government was told that these terrorists pose a serious threat to Pakistan’s security. These terrorists are using Afghan soil for their operations. Pakistan attaches great importance to Afghanistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, which is why it has always prioritized dialogue and cooperation to deal with terrorism. Pakistan has repeatedly demanded from the Afghan authorities to ensure that Afghan soil is not used against Pakistan and that terrorists are not allowed to gain a foothold there. Pakistan also said that the safe havens of the TTP should be eliminated from its territory and the members of this group should be handed over to Pakistan. Pakistan has great respect for the Afghan people, however, at present, the interim government there includes elements who are supporting the TTP and using it as a tool against Pakistan.
Terrorism is once again rising, Pakistani forces are sacrificing their lives to eliminate it. Everyone will have to unite against terrorism and enemies of the country. The illegal supply of modern weapons to Afghanistan can spread unrest throughout the region. Everyone will have to unite against terrorists. Pakistan has defeated terrorists in the past and will continue to do so. The latest round of the “US-Pakistan Counter-Terrorism Dialogue” was held between the United States of America and Pakistan in Islamabad on August 12, 2025. In these negotiations, the two countries reiterated their common commitment to deal with all forms and manifestations of terrorism. The United Nations Special Secretary-General, Nabil Munir, and the U.S. Department of State’s Acting Counter-Terrorism Coordinator, Gregory DeLografo, co-chaired the discussions. Both delegations stressed the critical need to adopt effective approaches to address all threats posed by terrorism, including those posed by the Balochistan Liberation Army [BLA], ISIS-Khorasan, and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan [TTP]. The United States commended Pakistan’s continued success in containing terrorist organizations that pose a threat to regional and global peace and security. Furthermore, the United States expressed its condolences for the loss of lives of civilians and law enforcement personnel in Pakistan, including the brutal terrorist attack on the Jaffar Express and the bombing of a school bus in Khuzdar. Both delegations emphasized the importance of building strong institutional structures and developing capabilities to address security challenges and counter the use of emerging technologies for terrorist purposes. Both sides reiterated their determination to work together in multilateral fora, including the United Nations, to promote effective and sustainable counter-terrorism approaches. Reiterating the long-standing partnership between Pakistan and the United States, both sides emphasized that a long-term and strong partnership is essential for counter-terrorism and promoting peace and stability. Pakistan ranks second in the global ranking of countries affected by terrorism. The banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is responsible for the highest number of terrorist attacks and fatalities in Pakistan. The Global Terrorism Index (GTI) released for the year 2025 has ranked Pakistan from fourth to second among 163 countries in terms of terrorism challenges, based on 2024 data. The country most affected by terrorism is Burkina Faso, followed by Pakistan and Syria in second and third place respectively. The index is prepared by the Australian-based think tank Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP). A total of 1099 terrorist attacks occurred in Pakistan during 2024, killing 1081 people. There has been a 45 percent increase in terrorist attacks in Pakistan compared to the previous year. According to the report, the number of deaths due to TTP attacks in Pakistan has doubled compared to 2023.The TTP is responsible for 52 percent of all terrorist deaths in Pakistan in 2024. The TTP alone carried out more than 482 attacks in Pakistan in 2024, killing 558 people. However, the deadliest attack in Pakistan in 2024 was carried out by the Baloch separatist militant group Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA). In November 2024, the BLA attacked a railway station in Quetta, killing at least 25 people, including civilians and military personnel. The report said that the BLA and the Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) have increased their operations, taking advantage of the ongoing instability in Pakistan. In 2023, these groups carried out 116 small and large-scale operations, resulting in a total of 88 deaths. However, in 2024, Baloch militant groups carried out 504 attacks, and the number of deaths in these attacks quadrupled to 388. Other terrorism-related studies have shown that terrorism in Pakistan has increased since the establishment of the Taliban government in Afghanistan. According to GTI, terrorist activities in Pakistan have increased fivefold since 2021. “The major reason for the recent increase in terrorism in Pakistan is the activities of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), an allied organization of the Afghan Taliban,” the report said. The dual threats posed by the TTP and Baloch militants pose a multifaceted security challenge to Pakistan in 2024, which requires measures in the military, political, socio-economic sectors to address. Various groups are operating in Pakistan. But the two groups that pose the greatest threat at present are the TTP and the BLA. The interim government in Afghanistan has diverted many terrorist organizations there to Pakistan, which has led to an increase in terrorism in Pakistan. In addition, ISIS has also expanded its network. They have recently achieved success in the Middle East, after which they are also increasing their influence in Pakistan and Afghanistan. The Pakistani government has also been holding the Taliban government responsible for the growing terrorism in the country, and in particular for providing safe havens to the banned TTP. The latest round of “US-Pakistan Counter-Terrorism Dialogue” was held between the United States and Pakistan in Islamabad on August 12, 2025. In these discussions, the two countries reiterated their shared commitment to combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. The Special Secretary to the United Nations, Nabil Munir, and the Acting Coordinator for Counter-Terrorism at the US Department of State, Gregory De Logroff, co-chaired these discussions. Both delegations emphasized the critical need to adopt effective approaches to address all threats posed by terrorism, including those posed by the Balochistan Liberation Army [BLA], ISIS-Khorasan, and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan [TTP]. The United States commended Pakistan’s continued success in containing terrorist organizations that pose a threat to regional and global peace and security. Furthermore, the United States expressed its condolences for the loss of lives of civilians and law enforcement personnel in terrorist incidents in Pakistan, including the brutal terrorist attack on the Jaffar Express and the bombing of a school bus in Khuzdar. Both delegations emphasized the importance of building strong institutional structures and developing capabilities to address security challenges and thwart the use of emerging technologies for terrorist purposes. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to work together in multilateral fora, including the United Nations, to promote effective and sustainable approaches to counterterrorism. Reiterating the long-standing partnership between Pakistan and the United States, both sides emphasized that a long-term and well-founded partnership is essential to counterterrorism and promote peace and stability. On June 11, 2025, the head of the US Central Command (CENTCOM), General Michael Corella, claimed that after the arrest of ‘Jafar’ (Sharifullah), the main character of the Abbottabad attack at Kabul Airport on the occasion of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, Pakistan’s Field Marshal Asim Munir was the first to call him and say that Pakistan had captured Jafar and was ready to hand him over to the US. Please tell the Secretary of Defense and the President (Trump).General Michael Corella was answering questions on the situation on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border during a hearing of the House Armed Services Committee on ‘US Military Strategy and National Security Challenges in the Middle East and Africa’ in Washington. On this occasion, General Michael Corella described Pakistan as an ‘excellent and reliable partner’ in the field of counter-terrorism and said that under the excellent partnership and exchange of intelligence with Pakistan, the United States carried out operations against ISIS Khorasan, killed dozens of terrorists and arrested at least five key members of ISIS Khorasan and handed them over to the United States. General Michael Corella told the committee members that, “We are seeing that Pakistan, despite the limited intelligence we provide, is carrying out effective operations against ISIS Khorasan with its available resources and the impact of these operations is also visible.” He told the committee that, “Since the beginning of 2024, more than 1,000 terrorist attacks have taken place in the western regions of Pakistan, in which about 700 security personnel and civilians have been killed and more than 2,500 injured.” The position of Field Marshal has been given constitutional protection. The federal cabinet approved the draft of the Federal Constitutional Court (Procedure and Practice) Act 2025 and amendments to the Pakistan Army Act, Pakistan Air Force Act and Pakistan Navy Act. In a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, important decisions were taken to align the relevant laws with the Twenty-seventh Constitutional Amendment. Meanwhile, the National Assembly approved the Pakistan Army Amendment Bill 2025, Pakistan Air Force Amendment Bill 2025, and Pakistan Navy Amendment Bill 2025. The opposition opposed the bills. According to the proposed Army Act, a new notification of the Army Chief as the Chief of Defense Forces will be issued, after which the term of the Army Chief as the Chief of Defense Forces will resume. The Prime Minister will appoint the Commander of the National Strategic Command on the recommendation of the Army Chief and the Chief of Defense Forces. The term of the Commander of the National Strategic Commander will be 3 years. Giving an explanatory statement in the National Assembly, Federal Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar said that after the approval of the Army Act, the post of Army Chief has now changed from Chief of Defense Forces. The term of office will be 5 years and the term will be counted from the date of appointment. The post of Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee has been abolished and the current Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee will continue in this post until his retirement. The proposed Army Act states that It was said that the Army Chief, the Chief of Defense Forces will restructure and integrate all branches of the Pakistan Army, the Commander National Strategic Command can be reappointed for 3 years. The proposed Army Act said that the post of Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee will be abolished from November 27.
Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Asim Iftikhar Ahmed called the access of illegal weapons to terrorist groups in Afghanistan a serious threat to regional peace and appealed to the international community to take immediate action. The Permanent Representative said that terrorist organizations are openly carrying out operations in Afghanistan which has become a serious problem not only for the security of Afghanistan but also for the entire region. The attack on Wana Cadet College and the suicide bombing in Islamabad have once again opened the wound for Pakistan that we have tried to heal with years of sacrifices, patience and desire for peace. These incidents are a return to the mentality that keeps the enemies of peace and development alive. President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have issued a clear warning to the terrorist elements after these incidents. Both leaders have expressed their determination to take action at the global level not only against the terrorists but also against their financial and military patrons, which is proof that the state of Pakistan is once again entering the field with the same unity and unity that had reduced the darkness of terrorism in the past. The most important aspect at this juncture is Pakistan’s national stance, which is now not just defensive but has a balanced diplomatic dimension. Pakistan’s policy is that terrorism is not a border issue but a regional threat, for which international cooperation and practical participation of neighboring countries are necessary. It was clearly revealed in the meeting between the Prime Minister and the President that Pakistan now wants direct action against the facilitators of terrorists and their financial networks. The two leaders have called on the international community to take joint action against foreign elements who are interfering in Pakistan’s internal affairs and supporting destructive groups. Pakistan’s position is that the interim government of Afghanistan should not allow its soil to be used for terrorist organizations under any circumstances. This demand is not an expression of any political pressure but is an indispensable condition for bilateral peace. If the groups present in Afghanistan continue to be active against Pakistan, they will continue to pose a threat not only to Pakistan but also to the stability of Afghanistan. Pakistan has always recognized the principle that the peace of Afghanistan is inseparable from the peace of Pakistan. But when groups like the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan plan attacks from Afghan soil, So it weakens mutual trust. It is now a fact that terrorist networks are not just the result of religious extremism, but there is a web of financial, political and secret interests behind them. Pakistan has made sacrifices against these interests in the last two decades. The peace that was established at the cost of more than seventy thousand lives was not just a military victory but an ideological victory. Today, when terrorists are rising again, it is not just a few attacks but a test of the state’s resolve. The fundamental question is, how much long-term strategy has Pakistan developed against these groups? It has happened many times in the past that operations brought temporary peace but could not establish permanent peace. Many of the twenty points of the National Action Plan are still partially implemented. Points like reform of madrassas, prevention of hate speech, border surveillance and transparency of welfare organizations are still awaiting full implementation. For the state, this is not the time to make excuses but to take decisive action. The challenge before the current leadership is not only to eliminate terrorists but also to restore public trust. When a suicide bombing occurs in Islamabad, citizens not only question security but also become disappointed with the system of government. This disappointment cannot be resolved by statements alone. The government will have to implement its resolve that the fight against terrorism will not only be military but also on the social, educational and ideological fronts. Pakistan’s diplomacy towards Afghanistan is now taking a new turn. Pakistan wants Afghanistan to prove through concrete actions, not just promises, that it will not allow its soil to be used for terrorism. If the Taliban government fails to keep its promises, it will be inevitable for Pakistan to redefine its defense and diplomatic paths. This is also a moment of reflection for the international community. As long as terrorist groups continue to operate freely in Afghanistan, peace in Central and South Asia will remain a dream. The sacrifices Pakistan has made in the war on terrorism are no less than the experience of any other country. But now the time has come for this war to be considered a shared responsibility not only of Pakistan, but of the entire world. Pakistan’s future is linked to peace and stability. Strict action against terrorists, shutting down their financial networks and identifying their external sponsors is the path that can lead us back to sustainable peace. Peace is not just a dream, but the right of a nation that has made immense sacrifices for it in the last two decades. The events in Wana and Islamabad remind us that the enemy is not yet gone, but this time our resolve is stronger, the leadership is more united and the nation is more united. This is the hope that can once again lead Pakistan towards the light. These groups receive financial and operational support at the global level that fuels their destructive activities. These terrorist groups are using weapons against Pakistani citizens and law enforcement agencies, which has resulted in the loss of thousands of innocent Pakistani lives. The presence of modern weapons and ammunition stockpiles in Afghanistan is creating further threats to the region. The international community must take urgent steps to prevent terrorist groups from accessing illegal weapons in Afghanistan. It is worrying that despite Pakistan’s demands, the current Afghan rulers have failed to end their long-standing ties with terrorist groups that have taken refuge in the country. “Terrorists” are opportunistically adapting to the situation, resorting to illegal financial methods and other criminal activities, making it difficult to take coordinated global action against them. The increase in terrorist attacks motivated by hatred of Pakistanis, racism and other forms of intolerance in the name of religion or belief is alarming.