ISLAMABAD, JUN 24: /DNA/ – There is no let-up in attacks in parts of Pakistan, and according to officials, year 2025 saw a series of major attacks particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Baluchistan.
The most high-profile were the suicide bombings in the city of Islamabad, near a court’s building, and in a mosque in a suburb of the capital, which took the lives over nearly 50 people and wounded about 170 others. Almost all slain people were civilians.
In addition, in February, a coordinated attack on several settlements in the province of Baluchistan was completed, which lasted for several days. There had been several attacks in Bannu and North Waziristan in recent weeks. Pakistani forces have been making efforts to take concrete practical steps to counter these threats.
Although Pakistan deals with this challenging situation, it expects friendly countries moral support to its campaign to end the threats of militancy. Friendly countries routinely issue statements to show solidarity with Pakistan when militants carry out attacks.
Experts in Pakistan are of the view that the United States has not yet come to terms with what they view as the US defeats from Afghanistan and is trying to influence the current government in Kabul in various ways. Some Afghan Taliban officials also believe the main goal of the US is to damage their government, which came to power after the US withdrawal in 2021. Taliban think such actions could destabilize the situation in Afghanistan, which leads to many refugees who, due to its geographical location and historical ties, choose Pakistan.
Under these circumstances, it is important for Islamabad to be very careful in selecting potential counter-terrorism partners. As one of the most acceptable options now, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization should be considered, since the members of this organization are the countries of Central Asia, with which Islamabad actively develops political and economic cooperation.
In this regard, the use of the SCO anti-terrorism structure in close cooperation with all parties interested in solving this problem is seen as a significant support for Pakistan. The SCO members should also reactive the contact group on Afghanistan as majority members enjoy good relations with the Taliban government. They can convince the Taliban to address to the concerns of some of its member states, especially Pakistan.
Although Pakistan has genuine security concerns and is frustrated at the Taliban government’s inaction to stop Pakistani groups from using its soil, the country should deal with the Afghan Taliban either through bilaterally or with the intervention of mediators. This is good that Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman did not rule out restart of diplomacy with Afghanistan if the Taliban government acts on Pakistan’s call for concrete and verifiable action against Pakistani groups using Afghan soil. Diplomacy is the best option despite Pakistan’s frustration at the Taliban lukewarm response to Islamabad’s demands.
For Pakistan, the viable option to engage with the Taliban directly, avoiding anything jointly with the US. Let the US do whatever it wants to do with the Taliban. The US keeps on putting pressures on the Taliban government on issues like prisoners, Bagram airbase and the American weapons left after the withdrawal in 2021. President Donald Trump has repeatedly said he wants to take back Bagram and the return of the weapons worth 7 billion dollars. Taiban authorities have freed several American nationals, but the US has not released an Afghan national Muhammad Rahim despite promises made by President Trump’s envoy and Zalmay Khalilzad in a series of meetings in Kabul over the past two years.
Foreign Office spokesman Tahir Andrabi on Wednesday again pressed the Taliban to accept Pakistan’s security concerns to take action against those elements responsible for the killings of civilians and members of the law enforcement agencies in Pakistan. This is a positive approach and the Afghan Taliban must respond positively that is a must for normalization.
