A major terrorist attack on a Pakistan Army camp in the Boya area of North Waziristan has once again underscored Islamabad’s long-standing concerns over the use of Afghan territory by militant groups to launch cross-border attacks into Pakistan.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), terrorists belonging to the Indian-backed proxy group Fitna-al-Khawarij (Gul Bahadur Group) infiltrated from Afghanistan and attempted to breach the security perimeter of a military camp. Alert security forces successfully thwarted the initial intrusion attempt. Failing to enter the camp, the attackers rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into the outer boundary wall, triggering a powerful blast.
The explosion caused the collapse of a section of the wall and inflicted severe damage on nearby civilian infrastructure, including a mosque. As a result, 15 local civilians, including women and children, were seriously injured.
In the ensuing exchange of heavy fire, security forces killed all four terrorists. However, the nation paid a heavy price as four Pakistan Army soldiers embraced martyrdom while defending the camp.
This attack is not an isolated incident. Militants operating from Afghan soil have been repeatedly targeting Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces. Pakistani authorities stress that Afghanistan has become a safe haven for multiple terrorist organizations, including Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), ISIS-K, Al-Qaeda, and their affiliated groups such as the Gul Bahadur faction.
Pakistan has raised these concerns with the Afghan Taliban government on numerous occasions. Following the latest attack, Islamabad issued a formal diplomatic demarche, summoning Afghanistan’s Deputy Head of Mission to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Afghan Taliban regime was categorically warned that Pakistan would take all necessary measures to counter terrorism emanating from Afghan territory.
The Foreign Office emphasized that continued support, tolerance, or inaction against militant groups is enabling them to carry out deadly attacks against Pakistani security forces and civilians along the border regions.
Pakistan is not alone in voicing concern. Several neighboring and regional countries have also protested the use of Afghan soil by terrorist groups. Militants operating from Afghanistan have carried out attacks in Central Asian states, including a deadly incident in Tajikistan in which Chinese nationals were killed. Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan have also expressed unease over the deteriorating security situation.
In recent months, even Denmark confirmed the presence of transnational terrorist networks operating from Afghanistan. The United Nations Security Council has rejected Taliban claims that no terrorist groups are active inside the country, further isolating the Afghan interim government diplomatically.
Before taking power, the Taliban had signed the Doha Agreement with the United States, committing to dismantle terrorist organizations, prevent Afghan soil from being used against other countries, ensure women’s rights, and establish inclusive governance representing Afghanistan’s ethnic and linguistic diversity.
More than four years on, analysts argue that the Taliban have failed to fulfill any of these commitments. Afghanistan’s interim government lacks meaningful representation of Tajiks, Uzbeks, Hazaras, and other communities, while militant groups reportedly operate freely, with training camps, businesses, and logistical networks intact.
Observers suggest two possible explanations: either the Taliban share ideological and organizational ties with these militant outfits, or the current Afghan regime lacks the capacity and unity to confront them. Reports of internal rifts within the Taliban further reinforce perceptions of a weak and divided government.
The worsening situation has alarmed regional powers. A recent meeting in Tehran on Afghanistan’s security situation was reportedly boycotted by the Taliban, reflecting Kabul’s reluctance to engage constructively with international stakeholders.
Meanwhile, terrorist groups continue to expand their footprint beyond Afghanistan, conducting operations across borders with increasing frequency.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the North Waziristan attack, paying tribute to the fallen soldiers and reaffirming Pakistan’s resolve to eradicate terrorism.
As diplomatic pressure mounts and security challenges intensify, the question remains how long the current trajectory can continue. What is clear, Pakistani officials say, is that Pakistan will take decisive steps to protect its people, sovereignty, and national security, even as the regional situation grows more complex and dangerous.
