By Muhammad Mohsin Iqbal
Terrorism, in every guise and in every corner of the world, stands as a repudiation of our shared humanity. No civilisation, no religion, and no moral code sanctions the taking of innocent lives. To link this evil to any faith is to misread both history and reality. Terrorism has neither a single home nor a single face; it is an affliction that has struck schools in Pakistan, concerts in Europe, shopping centres in America, habitat in Gaza and public spaces in Africa and Asia alike. The pain it inflicts is universal, and so must be the condemnation it receives.
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Pakistan’s experience with terrorism has been particularly acute. Over the last two decades, the country has lost more than seventy thousand lives—civilians and security personnel alike—and has suffered economic losses estimated in hundreds of billions of dollars. Development in many regions delayed by years. No city, whether Lahore, Karachi, Quetta, Peshawar, or smaller towns of the north and south, has been immune from the violence of extremist groups. This sustained assault reflects a deliberate and calculated strategy to weaken Pakistan from within and malign it internationally.
Pakistan has consistently presented evidence to the global community about the origins of these attacks. It has pointed to the presence of organised groups operating from Afghan territory. Pakistan has repeatedly underscored that while Afghan soil is the immediate launchpad, the direction and financing of many attacks come from networks linked to India. Numerous dossiers, containing details of funding channels, communication intercepts, and the identity of handlers, have been shared with international institutions. Yet, while sympathetic statements have been issued in response, concrete action against the perpetrators or their sponsors has remained largely absent. Diplomatic caution, geopolitical alliances, and economic interests have too often overshadowed moral responsibility.
The pattern becomes even clearer when major events take place in Pakistan. Whenever foreign sports teams visit—cricket tours being the most visible example—terrorist attempts emerge with suspicious coordination. These attacks are intended not only to cause casualties but to erode Pakistan’s image and deter international engagement. It is no coincidence that such attempts spike when Pakistan is making diplomatic or economic progress. Years of such manipulation have revealed a strategic intent; to keep Pakistan unstable, isolated, and under pressure.
In response, Pakistan has taken difficult internal steps, including the repatriation of Afghans living illegally within its borders. This was not an impulsive decision but one rooted in national security concerns and the international principle that undocumented residents must eventually regularise their status or return home. Many attacks in recent years involved individuals who crossed the border unlawfully or used refugee movement as a cover. While Pakistan acted firmly but lawfully, India exploited this moment of regional tension to escalate disinformation campaigns and support anti-Pakistan activities through covert channels. Instead of addressing the root causes, the international system largely confined itself to verbal regrets.
It is within this broader climate of instability that another deeply troubling development has emerged. Reports indicate that Afghanistan has attacked a Chinese camp operating in Tajikistan, reportedly killing three Chinese nationals. Disturbingly, the attack is said to have been carried out using a drone—an escalation that mirrors the increasingly sophisticated tactics employed across the region. It should be recalled that India, in collaboration with Israel, had used drone technology to strike Pakistan in May 2025. The replication of such methods by non-state and quasi-state actors represents a dangerous evolution in regional proxy warfare. When countries or groups normalise the use of drones for cross-border militancy, they invite an uncontrollable cycle of escalation that threatens the entire region’s stability.
The consequences of global inaction are now becoming increasingly evident outside our region as well. When the United States withdrew from Afghanistan, it left behind vast quantities of military equipment—ranging from rifles and night-vision devices to armoured vehicles—which fell into the hands of various groups. This surplus of sophisticated weaponry has strengthened extremist elements across the region and beyond.
Just days ago, an Afghan national allegedly carried out an attack outside the White House—one of the most heavily protected locations in the world. Two security personnel were injured over there. For decades, Western capitals viewed terrorism as a distant threat unfolding in faraway lands. But when violence strikes at the doorstep of the most powerful governments, it becomes an unwelcome reminder that terrorism knows no boundaries. In response, Washington has now announced a review of policies concerning Afghan arrivals and enhanced scrutiny of their backgrounds— the same measures that Pakistan has adopted for Afghans living illegally in its country.
This incident illustrates an undeniable truth;instability cannot be contained within geographical borders. If the international community continues to dismiss Pakistan’s concerns while reacting only when violence reaches major Western cities, the global fight against terrorism will remain fragmented and ineffective. Terrorism is not an issue for selective vigilance; it requires collective responsibility and uniform action grounded in justice, not geopolitics.
What the world needs is a serious, structured, and enforceable agenda on counterterrorism. There must be an international conversation—one grounded in transparency—about proxy warfare, state-sponsored militancy, and the financial networks that sustain extremist groups. Nations that use terrorism as an instrument of foreign policy must be named, confronted, and sanctioned. The existing framework, centred mainly on statements and symbolic gestures, has proven insufficient. Without accountability, the cycle of violence will persist.
Pakistan’s stance has remained principled and consistent. It condemns terrorism in every form, whether committed in the West or the East, by individuals or by organised networks. It has cooperated with global counterterrorism initiatives, shared intelligence, and offered support wherever needed. Its sacrifices are not abstract statistics; they are millions of shattered families, thousands of orphaned children, and generations traumatised by instability.
The world must now recognise that Pakistan’s fight is part of a larger struggle in which every nation has a stake. Terrorism anywhere is a threat everywhere. Only through honesty, unity, and collective resolve can the global community hope to secure a peaceful and stable future.
