Violence in Pakistan: Recent Attacks Raise Concerns

Pakistan has recently experienced a surge in violent incidents. In Islamabad, a suicide bomber targeted a district court, killing 12 people and injuring 27 others. The explosion happened near a police vehicle, causing chaos in the busy court area. The interior minister suggested that Indian-backed elements and Afghan Taliban proxies might be responsible, but investigations are ongoing. Earlier, security forces thwarted a militant attack on an army-run college in the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. A suicide car bomber and five other attackers tried to take cadets hostage. The Pakistani Taliban, though denying involvement, is suspected. The area has a history of housing militants, including al-Qaida and the Pakistani Taliban. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned both attacks and promised to bring the perpetrators to justice. He called the violence against civilians "reprehensible. " The Pakistani Taliban, or TTP, has gained strength since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in 2021, with many leaders finding refuge there. Pakistan has seen a rise in militant attacks in recent years. The deadliest attack occurred in 2014 when Taliban gunmen killed 154 people, mostly children, at an army-run school in Peshawar. Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have also escalated, with recent drone strikes and cross-border fighting leading to a ceasefire brokered by Qatar. Peace talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan have stalled. Kabul refused to provide a written assurance that the TTP and other militant groups would not use Afghan territory against Pakistan. An earlier ceasefire between Pakistan and the TTP collapsed after the group accused Islamabad of violating it.