SINCE the Soviet invasion of Afgha­nistan, militants have been changing strategies and targets. Pakistan’s complex terrorism landscape has been significantly shaped by geopolitical shifts, foreign fighters’ arrival, foreign forces’ exit from Afghanistan, peace pacts, kinetic operations, political instability and changing militant tactics. Before the US left Afgh­anistan, kinetic operations weakened militant networks. Our terrorism landscape, resurging in tribal border areas, is multifaceted, transnational and an evolving threat. Despite earlier kinetic gains against them, militants have adopted new strategies, alliances and operational capacities.

Global Terrorism Index 2025 listed Pakistan as the second-most terrorism-affected state — 490 attacks in 2023 and 1,099 in 2024 (mainly by TTP and Baloch militant groups). TTP factions impact parts of the north, south and KP’s merged districts, with IS-K trying to assert its presence in places. BLA and other militants are active in parts of Balochistan’s Baloch belt.

Cross-border linkages reinforce local militants, as seen in the Jaffar Express hijacking and Mastung bus bombing. These must be severed and cross-border sanctuaries eliminated via all options, including diplomatic. The........

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