Pakistan has intensified its security measures and arrested dozens of suspects after carrying out air strikes on targets in Afghanistan over the past weekend. The strikes, Islamabad says, targeted militant hideouts responsible for recent suicide bombings inside Pakistan. The government claims these militants use Afghan territory as a safe haven, a charge Kabul denies, insisting the militancy is Pakistan’s internal issue.
Junior Interior Minister Talal Chaudhry told Reuters that Pakistani forces are on high alert, warning that militants tend to retaliate when their bases are attacked. Pakistani and Afghan forces exchanged fire along the border on Tuesday, with both sides accusing the other of initiating the clash.
Rising Militant Attacks
The heightened tension comes amid a spate of attacks inside Pakistan. A police vehicle was ambushed in Kohat city, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, leaving five officers and two civilians dead. A separate suicide bombing at a checkpoint killed two policemen. Chaudhry said these retaliatory strikes confirmed the militants’ links to Afghanistan, adding that security forces had prevented multiple attacks in recent weeks and arrested suspects, including Afghans.
Pakistan’s intelligence agencies have issued alerts warning of a possible surge in terror attacks targeting urban centers, markets, security forces, and places of worship. In response, search and intelligence-based operations have nearly doubled across the country.
Provincial Concerns
Officials highlighted that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan are already experiencing terror activity, and there is growing concern that militant networks may carry out attacks in Punjab and Sindh as well. The heightened alert reflects fears that militants could use Afghanistan as a launchpad for cross-border retaliation.
Trends in Militancy
Militant attacks in Pakistan have been rising steadily since 2022. Data from Armed Conflict Location & Event Data show that total attacks surged nearly fourfold to 2,425 in 2025 from 658 in 2022. Attacks by the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) increased more than seven-fold during the same period, reaching 838 from 118.
Analysis: Tensions on Multiple Fronts
The recent escalation underscores the fragile security situation along Pakistan’s western border. Air strikes targeting militants in Afghanistan have triggered immediate concerns of retaliatory violence. While Islamabad emphasizes preemptive measures, intelligence warnings suggest the threat is widespread, affecting major cities as well as traditionally volatile provinces.
The situation highlights the complex dynamics between Pakistan and Afghanistan, where accusations of harboring militants exacerbate an already tense security landscape. With attacks rising year-on-year and cross-border retaliation a real risk, Pakistan faces the dual challenge of maintaining domestic security while managing its volatile border relations.
With information from Reuters.
