NIAS Area Studies
PAKISTAN READER
PR Daily Brief | 11 October 2025, Saturday | Vol 5, No.255
In Focus
Explosions in Kabul, Press Conference in Peshawar, and a Summit in New Delhi
Three developments took place during the last few days in Kabul, Peshawar and New Delhi. The first one happened in Kabul on 09 October, Thursday night. Though the reports are not clear about what exactly happened in Kabul, what is known is an explosion (or explosions) in Kabul on Thursday night. Zabeehullah Mujahid, the Afghan Taliban spokesperson, was reported to have tweeted: "The sound of an explosion was heard in the city of Kabul. However, no one should worry, it is all well and good, the investigation of the incident is underway, no report of any damage has been given so far." According to a Dawn news report, referring to its sources, "a Land Cruiser vehicle was apparently hit in the area of Abdul Haq Square in Kabul." There were also reports of another explosion in Paktika province, on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.
BBC and Al Jazeera have reported on the Afghan Taliban blaming Pakistan for both explosions – in Kabul and in Paktika. According to media reports in Pakistan, the target was Noor Wali Mehsud, leader of the Pakistan Taliban – the TTP. On 10 October, Friday, in Peshawar, Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, Director General of Pakistan's Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), held a press conference. Dawn, in its editorial on 11 October, has said: "When the ISPR chief was asked during a presser on Friday to comment on Mehsud's reported elimination, he neither confirmed nor denied it but repeated the official demand that Afghanistan take action against terrorists on its soil." He was quoted to have mentioned: "To safeguard Pakistani lives and properties, what measures need to be taken will be taken."
On 10 October, Friday, in New Delhi, Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi met with India's External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar. On the explosions in Kabul, he was quoted by the Hindu to have said: "Afghanistan is an independent country in this region and when peace has come there, why are others troubled? Afghan people too have rights. The peace, benefits and progress of the last four years should be strengthened…Just as we want good relations with India, we want good ties with Pakistan. But these relations can only be built from both sides, it can't be done by one side." He was also quoted as having stated: "Afghanistan looks at India as a close friend. Afghanistan wants relations based on mutual respect and political, trade and people-to-people relations. Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan stands ready to create a mechanism for understanding between two countries, and this consultative mechanism works towards strengthening our relations."
What do the above three developments reflect? First, there is a significant effort to concretise the recent efforts between New Delhi and Kabul. For the last few years, there have been efforts by New Delhi to reach out to the Taliban government and build a working relationship with Afghanistan. Second, growing tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, especially between the Establishment in Pakistan and the Taliban. Despite multiple visits at the political and military level during recent months, the fault line between the two has been widening. Third, Pakistan's efforts to take unilateral military actions within Afghanistan. Are all these three developments independent, or interlinked? If they are interlinked, what to expect, especially in the Af-Pak region? The above two questions need further research and analysis.
TLP’s march sparks clashes and internet shutdowns
On 11th and 10th October, Dawn, The News International, and The Express Tribune reported that Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) supporters clashed with police forces in Lahore during their Gaza March procession toward Islamabad. The TLP procession, led by Saad Rizvi, began after Friday prayers but turned violent near Shahdara, resulting in major disruptions to Lahore's operations. The three groups involved in the conflict included TLP activists, Punjab police forces, and State Minister for Interior Talal Chaudhry, who spoke to the media in Islamabad. The police used multiple methods to stop the march, including deploying large forces, containers, and tear gas, while local authorities in Gujrat and Kharian used trenches and river bridge closures to stop the procession. The TLP procession continued forward despite reports of their members taking control of official vehicles while fighting police forces, which resulted in numerous injuries throughout the conflict.
The TLP planned to march toward the capital for Gaza solidarity protests, which authorities considered a political move that threatened stability. The government, through Talal Chaudhry, stated that the party uses Palestine as a tool for political blackmail while maintaining its refusal to let religious sentiment justify mob rule. The Express Tribune reported on 10 October that the interior ministry had already cut off mobile internet access in Islamabad and Rawalpindi to stop the march from gaining momentum. The Punjab government invoked Section 144 to ban public gatherings and display of weapons throughout the province, presenting the operation as essential for maintaining public safety.
The security environment in Islamabad and the twin cities remains unstable while facing an uncertain future. The News International documented how road closures throughout the city caused major disruptions to healthcare services because ambulances and patients lost access to hospitals. The Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences reported that patient numbers decreased by 50 percent while emergency response coordination became impossible because of internet outages. The current clashes between the security forces and a mix of TLP supporters and the general public will likely exacerbate brewing public anger, and increase the burden on Pakistan’s already weak law enforcement. The government remains committed to using minimum force against the TLP and stop them from reaching Islamabad while also testing Pakistan’s ability to control religious populism against state authority. (TLP protesters clash with police as march heads to Islamabad, Dawn, 11 October 2025) ( Road blockades cripple health services in twin cities , The News International, 11 October 2025) Internet services suspended in twin cities as TLP march advances , The Express Tribune, 10 October 2025)
DG-ISPR Press Conference: Four Takeaways
On 10 October 2025, Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), provided the military’s most candid assessment of Pakistan’s internal security crisis in recent years during a press conference. The current surge in terrorism stems from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa's governance breakdowns and political interference and weakened institutional strength according to him. His statements introduced a pivotal shift in military counter-terrorism discourse because he showed that security operations against militancy failed to address fundamental governance and political problems.
1. Governance Failures and Rise in Terrorism
The official assessment of Pakistan's counterterrorism and governance problems during the last few years emerged from the press conference delivered by Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, who serves as Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). The military has shifted its internal security approach through four essential points, which he presented during the press conference.
The Director General of ISPR stated that Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) governance failures directly caused the current terrorism increase in terrorism. The province entered a dangerous connection between criminal activity and terrorism because of inadequate law enforcement, unregistered religious schools, and insufficient implementation of the National Action Plan non-military reforms. The military official expressed his disappointment with civilian leaders because they failed to execute the National Action Plan effectively.
2. Warning Against Politicisation and Anti-State Leadership
The military official delivered an explicit message that stated that any political strategy that shows opposition to state authority will face military opposition. The statement "no individual's politics surpasses the state" targeted the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government in K-P because they had supported negotiations with militant groups.
3. Operational Achievements and Institutional Weaknesses
The military operations statistics presented by Lt Gen Chaudhry showed 24,000 intelligence-based operations during two years alongside 1,700 terrorist deaths and 1,000 security personnel and civilian casualties. The military leader expressed disappointment about judicial systems that fail to secure terrorist convictions because this demonstrates a significant institutional deficiency.
4. External Security Concerns and Call for Unified Response
The military leader confirmed Pakistan's border security concerns by stating that Afghan sanctuaries and Indian support for militants continue to drive terrorist activities. The military leader transformed terrorism into a governance failure that needs state-wide cooperation through his focus on governance and judicial reform and leader depoliticisation.
In Brief
SECURITY
Terrorists attack police training centre in Dera Ismail Khan
On 11 October, The News International reported that a newly built police training center in Dera Ismail Khan was attacked by seven to eight terrorists. The police training center was inaugurated by Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur this year. The gunfire exchange, followed by a loud explosion, shook the police training facility. In retaliation, security forces, the Pakistan Army, and Frontier Corps (FC) personnel joined the police forces in the ongoing operation. Police confirmed the killing of three unidentified terrorists, including a suicide bomber. Meanwhile, the bodies of three Marwat-Bettani Qaumi Tehreek (MBQT) leaders were found near the Tochi Bridge; they were abducted by armed men near Bannu Cantonment. These leaders were demanding the water rights from the Baran dam. The MBQT, which comprises the Marwat and Bettani tribes of Lakki Marwat, was formed to demand water rights from the Marwat Canal, which is currently in a dry condition, and to advocate for peace in the area. The MBQT chief alleged that the police and security forces did not respond to the abduction. ( “Terrorists attack police training centre in DI Khan” , The News International, 11 October 2025)
Civilians killed in Bajaur crossfire between security forces and militants
On 11 October, Dawn reported that in Bajaur, which was earlier a part of the former Federally Administered Tribal Region, four civilians, including two women and one child, became victims of a gunfire exchange between security forces and militants, while many other children were injured. The gunfire exchange lasted for several hours, killing a few terrorists. An editorial in The Express Tribune emphasized that “Pakistan's enigma, as it faces an uptick in terrorism, is owing to its failure to implement the National Action Plan. The gap in the governance process in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, in particular, is responsible for the revulsion, and its "cost is being paid by the blood of security forces."( “30 terrorists killed in Orakzai operation: ISPR”, Dawn, 11 October 2025; “No talks with terrorists”, The Express Tribune, 11 October 2025)
ENVIRONMENT
Pakistan launches sea turtles project
On 11 October, Dawn reported that Pakistan’s Ministry of Maritime Affairs has launched a project to protect endangered sea turtles in a bid to get US certification and boost shrimp exports from the country. At the beginning of the 21st century, seven species of sea turtles used to be found across the coastal areas of Sindh and Balochistan; now only two species remain due to marine pollution and recreational disturbances. The project accounts for PKR 90 million, focused on the installation of standardized Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs), along with capacity-building and training workshops. It will also include data collection to monitor TED's impact on shrimp catch efficiency and net performance. Particularly, the TEDs will help Pakistan to get US certification and the expected resumption of shrimp exports to the US, EU, and Canadian markets. ( “Pakistan launches sea turtles project,” Dawn, 11 October 2025)
Editorials/Opinions
Afghan policy
Editorial, "Afghan Policy," Dawn, 11 October 2025
"Kabul must be told that the current situation—where terrorists seek refuge on Afghan soil but the Taliban government remains in denial—is not tenable. What the Afghan Taliban do with their militant ‘guests’ is their problem; Pakistan and the rest of Afghanistan’s neighbors must be assured that their security will not be threatened by these malign actors."
GB’s pre-poll report card
Afzal Ali Shigri, "GB’s pre-poll report card," Dawn, 11 October 2025
"It is a farce that the very political parties that denied GB its constitutional rights, despite making loud promises before the last assembly elections, are once again preparing to peddle the same slogans as the next polls approach. Once more, they will vow integration as a federating unit, if not permanent, then at least provisional, with token representation in parliament. And once more, with the help of their pliant local ‘leaders,’ these hollow declarations will be recycled and sold to voters, who in their desperation may fall for the deceit."
No talks with terrorists
Editorial, “No talks with terrorists,” The Express Tribune, 11 October 2025
“Pakistan's enigma, as it faces an uptick in terrorism, is owing to its failure to implement the National Action Plan. The gap in the governance process in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, in particular, is responsible for the revulsion, and its "cost is being paid by the blood of security forces."