Naqvi says Islamabad suicide attack planned in Afghanistan, mastermind arrested

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has stated that the Islamabad suicide attack was fully planned by Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) in Afghanistan, adding that the mastermind of the attack is currently in Pakistani custody and all individuals linked to the incident have been arrested.

Speaking to the media in Islamabad, Naqvi said that India is financing terrorism in Pakistan, claiming New Delhi has increased its budget to sponsor militant activities.

He warned that when other countries begin to feel the impact of India’s actions, global voices will eventually rise against it.

The interior minister revealed that four facilitators were arrested in Nowshera and Peshawar, with assistance from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Counter Terrorism Department (CTD).

He confirmed that the mastermind belongs to the proscribed ISKP and is under arrest, while authorities possess concrete evidence showing how the suicide bomber was brought into Pakistan.

Naqvi said that during a raid, a Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police officer was martyred, while several others were injured. He reiterated that the planning and training of the attacker took place in Afghanistan.

Appealing to the public, the interior minister said Pakistan is effectively in a state of war, stressing the importance of community intelligence.

He claimed that 21 terrorist organisations are currently operating from Afghan soil, adding that while one attack occurred, 99 potential attacks were successfully foiled.

Naqvi further alleged that India provides targets and full financial backing to terrorist groups, claiming payments to militants have increased from $500 to $1,500, and that India tripled its terrorism budget following its defeat in May.

He asserted that Pakistan would counter terrorism even if militants’ funding increased tenfold.

Referring to recent attacks in Balochistan, Naqvi said that none of the attackers escaped alive. He accused the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) of producing videos that are aired by Indian media outlets.

Concluding his remarks, the interior minister said that there should be no categorisation of enemies, emphasising that anyone waging war against Pakistan must be treated as an enemy.

He warned that the world would suffer consequences if it remained silent. He also revealed that authorities have identified numerous social media accounts being used by terrorist networks, warning platforms that stricter measures would be taken if such accounts are not shut down.