ACCORDING to analysts and experts on urban insurgency, what was once predominantly rural militancy in KP and Balochistan has increasingly encroached into urban centres and high-population areas.

Although urban militancy is not new in Pakistan’s case, clear trends toward expanding urban insurgency have only recently emerged. The deadly suicide bombing at an Imambargah in Islamabad on February 9, 2026 is a prime example. More than 35 worshippers were martyred. Just two months earlier, on November 11, a suicide bomber detonated explosives near the District Courts Islamabad, causing multiple casualties.

Since 2021, Pakistan has witnessed a sharp increase in militant violence, influenced by the return of the Afghan Taliban regime in Kabul. Reports suggest militant attacks rose by approximately 34% in 2025, with nearly 700........

© Pakistan Observer