FOR decades, Pakistan has lived under the shadow of violence that does not originate solely within its own society but seeps steadily across its borders, carried by militant networks, geopolitical rivalries and the quiet indifference of those who find advantage in its instability.

What is often described abroad as Pakistan’s internal security problem is in fact something far more complex and troubling. Much of the terror that devastates the country is conceived, sheltered and sustained beyond its frontiers, only to be executed on Pakistani soil. For many years India’s covert support for separatist and militant groups defined this external threat. Today that danger has widened, as Afghanistan under Taliban rule has become a permissive sanctuary for organizations that openly target Pakistan. In 2025 alone Pakistan endured one of the bloodiest years in its history, losing more than 3600 lives, including hundreds of civilians and security personnel, while attacks surged dramatically and crossed the thousand-incident mark. These numbers are not the outcome of spontaneous domestic unrest. They are the consequence of cross-border sanctuaries, external sponsorship and calculated geopolitical interference.

Since the Taliban’s return to power, Afghanistan has become a permissive sanctuary for groups like the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and the Islamic State Khorasan. From eastern border areas they regroup, recruit and train, then cross into Pakistan to attack civilians and security forces before retreating beyond reach. Taliban officials dismiss the TTP as........

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