A deadly suicide bombing tore through Pakistan’s capital on Tuesday, killing 12 people and injuring 30, prompting a furious response from the government which vowed a robust retaliation against cross-border terrorism and directly accused the Afghan Taliban regime of allowing militants to operate from its soil.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi confirmed the incident occurred at 12:39 pm when an assailant detonated explosives targeting a police vehicle after being prevented from entering the District and Sessions Court.

In a stark declaration, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif stated that the nation is in a “state of war.” Writing on the social media platform X, he urged, ‘Anyone who thinks that the Pakistan Army is fighting this war only along the Afghan border or in remote regions of Balochistan should take this suicide attack in Islamabad as a wake-up call.’

The defence minister described the ongoing struggle as a ‘war for all of Pakistan’ and praised the armed forces for their sacrifices, which provide the nation with a ‘sense of security.’

Speaking to journalists, Asif cast doubt on the possibility of meaningful dialogue with Kabul’s leadership, asserting they could halt terrorism in Pakistan. “Bringing this war to Islamabad carries a message from Kabul,” he said, describing the bombing as a pressure tactic and warning that such acts would not be tolerated in either border regions or urban centers.

The explosion marks the first suicide bombing in Islamabad in three years, with the last such event recorded in December 2022. However, bordering provinces like Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have experienced a dramatic surge in terror-related incidents since the Afghan Taliban’s ascent to power in 2021.

Tuesday’s violence follows a recent escalation in tensions along the shared border. Last month, intense clashes erupted between Pakistani and Afghan forces after a series of cross-border attacks, leading to a Pakistani counter-operation that reportedly killed over 200 Taliban fighters and India-backed militants. A fragile ceasefire has since collapsed following several unsuccessful rounds of negotiations.

Islamabad has consistently appealed to the Afghan administration to dismantle safe havens and training grounds on its territory used by militants responsible for repeated violent assaults inside Pakistan.