ISLAMABAD: Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has stated that the perpetrator of the recent suicide bombing in Islamabad was a Pakistani citizen who had previously travelled to Afghanistan, revealing new details of the ongoing investigation into the attack.
Speaking on Geo News’ program Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Ke Saath, the minister asserted that the attack was a deliberate attempt to obstruct Pakistan’s economic development and international partnerships. “An opportunity was chosen for terrorism when we had signed agreements with two countries,” Asif said, highlighting the strategic timing aimed at undermining diplomatic and economic progress.
Directly implicating regional adversaries, the Defense Minister accused India of seeking to destabilize Pakistan through proxy actors. “India may not dare to directly carry out any aggression, but it wants to destroy peace in Pakistan through its proxies and Afghanistan,” he claimed, reinforcing long-standing official allegations of cross-border terrorism.
Providing specifics on the investigation, Asif disclosed that the suicide bomber had traveled to the federal capital from Nowshera and that security agencies had made contact with his relatives. This detail points to a domestic element radicalized or coordinated externally.
In a notable comment on inter-provincial cooperation, the minister affirmed that there is coordination between the federal and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) governments regarding counter-terrorism efforts. “Apparently now the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is taking ownership of the war against terrorism,” Asif remarked, suggesting a potentially more unified front against the security threat following periods of political friction.
