Pakistan’s ‘State of War’ Declared After Islamabad Suicide Bombing

Following a deadly suicide attack outside an Islamabad court that resulted in 12 fatalities and over 30 injuries, Pakistan has officially entered a ‘state of war,’ according to Defence Minister Khawaja Asif. The minister unequivocally called on the Afghan leadership to halt the flow of terrorism into Pakistan, interpreting the bombing in the capital as a direct communication from Kabul. Asif conveyed on X that Pakistan possesses the “full strength to respond” to this challenge. He highlighted the attack as a stark reminder that the fight against terrorism is not confined to border regions but is a national struggle requiring the commitment of all Pakistanis, acknowledging the daily sacrifices made by the Pakistan Army. The attacker failed to access the court and detonated explosives near a police vehicle. In the aftermath, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif blamed India for orchestrating the attack, an accusation India swiftly dismissed as baseless and a tactic to deflect from Pakistan’s internal issues. This escalation of violence follows a recent terror incident in South Waziristan.