Three other people were also arrested in KP; Naqvi points finger at India; A terrorist network operates from Afghanistan
People attend funeral prayers for victims of Friday’s suicide attack at an Imambargah in Islamabad. Photo: REUTERS
ISLAMABAD:
As the death toll from the Islamabad imambargah suicide attack rose to 35, the government on Saturday announced a major breakthrough, with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi saying the night raids in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa had resulted in deadly clashes and highlighted cross-border involvement.
Speaking to media in Islamabad, Naqvi said raids continued through the night to trace those involved in a major test case for law enforcement agencies.
“All those linked to this, as well as the mastermind, were apprehended around 3 am,” the Home Minister said, lauding the joint efforts of the Anti-Terrorism Department (CTD) and KP Police.
According to Naqvi, raids were carried out in Nowshera and Peshawar, resulting in the arrest of four facilitators, including an Afghan national identified as the main perpetrator. “After the blast, raids were carried out in Nowshera and Peshawar, during which four facilitators were arrested. And their mastermind, who is Afghan, was also arrested,” he said.
Naqvi said the attack was “planned, trained and executed” by ISIS members based in Afghanistan, with foreign funding flowing “directly in dollars”.
“Let me be very clear: India is funding them. India is giving them their goals. India is planning every step for them,” the home minister said. “These organizations are at their service. The world may remain silent today, but a day will come when all countries will recognize who is sponsoring this terrorism.”
In a coordinated intelligence-driven operation, security agencies and law enforcement agencies successfully carried out raids in Peshawar and Nowshera districts. The officials noted that terrorists operating under the patronage of the Afghan Taliban continue to pose a significant threat to regional peace.
The Anti-Terrorism Department (CTD) Peshawar focused its search operations early in the morning on the residence of an individual identified as Yasir. During the raid, authorities arrested Yasir’s two brothers, Bilal and Nasir, as well as his brother-in-law, Usman.
Investigators revealed that the intercepted communications between Yasir and Usman took place shortly before the Islamabad blast, and that the three suspects are currently undergoing intensive questioning to determine their level of involvement.
Initial findings indicate that Yasir spent several months in Afghanistan, where he allegedly received specialized training in weapons handling and suicide bombing techniques.
Following his training, he returned to Pakistan in mid-2025 to activate the cell.
Link with Daesh confirmed
Speaking to the media, the Home Minister confirmed that an assistant sub-inspector of KP Police was martyred in the raids, while other personnel were injured. “But the main mastermind is linked to Daesh and is in our custody,” he said, referring to the banned so-called Islamic State.
Naqvi said investigators had established that planning and training for the attack took place across the border.
“The planning and training for the attack was carried out by ‘Daesh Afghanistan’ and carried out in the neighboring country,” he explained. “We have people telling us in detail how he (the attacker) got there and how he was trained.”
Reiterating the government’s long-standing position, he said militant groups were operating in coordination.
“We have been saying for some time that whether it is the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Afghan Taliban, Daesh or other Kharji terrorist organizations, they are all working together. Right now, 21 terrorist organizations… name any terrorist organization, they operate from Afghanistan,” he said.
“We are in a state of war”
Calling for public cooperation, Naqvi said the country was facing a war-like situation. “We are in a state of war, whether in Balochistan, KP or elsewhere. Intelligence [from] it’s the community that matters most,” he said, urging citizens to report any suspicious activity.
“When people learn of a stranger living in their community, report it to the police – when this system is activated, [terror incidents] will decrease.”
Responding to criticism of the security lapses, he added: “I received a message last night from someone asking me where the security agencies were and why this incident happened. I can tell you that if one explosion happens, 99 others are thwarted.”
Naqvi said he had asked agencies to start sharing details of foiled attacks with the media. “It could cause panic, but I said we should share with the media the incidents that have been foiled,” he said.
The Interior Minister said terrorist groups were financed and mandated from abroad. “The names of Daesh and the Taliban kept coming up, but ‘someone was funding them’ and giving them targets,” he said. “They would have gotten $500, but now they’re getting $1,500. Someone’s increasing their budget.”
“I repeat clearly that all their funding comes from India. India gives them all the targets; they plan everything behind the scenes. These organizations are at the front, while India is at the back,” Naqvi said.
He said Pakistan would raise the issue at the international level. “Nothing is free,” he said, adding that since May, terrorism budgets had tripled. “We are aware and it is our duty to raise this matter on all international platforms.”
Naqvi said he would inform the deputy prime minister so that foreign missions could inform other countries. “They (India) are now doing it openly because they know they cannot defeat us in a war,” he said. “If they have adopted this tactic, let them do it. But we will stop this; even if they increase their budget tenfold, it will have no impact.”
Similarly, referring to the recent attacks in Balochistan, Naqvi accused the banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) of producing “high productive value” propaganda amplified by the Indian media. “The world has declared the BLA a terrorist organisation, but no one will go there (India) and ask why they are broadcasting BLA content,” he said.
“They create content, organize incidents and broadcast it in their media. It’s a complete system that they have created,” he said, rejecting claims that the militants had seized territory. “Not an inch [of land] is under their control. »
“We will continue to fight this war, but the world must realize that it is becoming a regional threat,” he warned.
The minister also accused the Indian media of amplifying the propaganda of banned organizations such as the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA). “BLA produces high quality videos, carries out attacks and these videos immediately appear on Indian channels. Yet no one asks why.”
Naqvi acknowledged resource constraints within Pakistan’s security apparatus, saying the budget was much lower than often claimed. “I would like to be able to meet all the requirements of our security forces. There are small things they need that I cannot provide due to financial problems.”
He added that terrorists have advanced US weapons and technology left in Afghanistan, creating an imbalance that Pakistan must urgently address.
Naqvi also highlighted upcoming security improvements in the capital, including strengthening 93 entry points, improving Islamabad’s smart security system and recruiting 6,000 new police officers to deal with the aging police force.
