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• Stresses terrorism can’t be defeated by one country alone
• Slams financial, technical support to terrorism ‘by some states’
• China condemns Islamabad terror attack; Turkiye offers condolences
ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday renewed warnings about the threat to global peace due to “terrorist organisations operating in Afghanistan”, and criticised the Taliban regime’s policies, which he said had created conditions “similar to or worse than pre-9/11”.
Islamabad has reiterated that Afghan soil has continuously been used by terrorists to carry out attacks against Pakistan and has urged the Taliban regime to rein in terrorists groups’ operations from its land to target civilians and military personnel in Pakistan.
On Saturday, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said that four facilitators behind the suicide bombing, including the mastermind, had been arrested from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
In his statement thanking world leaders for showing solidarity with Pakistan following the recent attack on an Imambargah in Islamabad, the president reiterated the nation’s resolve to combat terrorism and violent ideology.
“Pakistan has long maintained that terrorism cannot be confronted by a single country in isolation,” he was quoted as saying.
Citing Pakistan’s experience, the president said that whenever “terrorist groups are allowed space, facilitation or impunity beyond national borders, the consequences are borne by innocent civilians all over the world”.
In this context, he said, certain neighbouring countries had become partners in crime by allowing terrorist elements to operate against Pakistan from their soil, while some not only finance such groups directly but also provide them with technical and military support.
“This is a reality that has shaped the regional developments in recent years. Pakistan takes strong exception to the situation in Afghanistan, where the Taliban regime has created conditions similar to or worse than pre-9/11, when terror organisations posed threats to global peace, culminating in the 9/11 tragedy,” the statement quoted him as saying.
The September 11, 2001, attacks — also known as 9/11 — were a series of coordinated hijackings that culminated in those planes being flown into targets such as New York’s World Trade Centre, and the Pentagon. The Al Qaeda terror group was said to be behind the attacks, which prompted the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq under the US-led ‘War on Terror’.
In his statement, President Zardari also accused India of “assisting the Taliban regime and threatening not only Pakistan but also regional and global peace”.
Following Friday’s attack in Islamabad, government officials, including Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, had also blamed “Indian-backed proxies” for carrying out the attack.
President Zardari thanked the international community for expressing solidarity with Pakistan in its fight against terrorism.
“Pakistan is humbled by the strong and sincere outpouring of support and solidarity from world leaders, governments and international organisations,” he said.
“The messages of sympathy and solidarity have brought comfort to the people of Pakistan and strength to the families who are mourning.”
China, Turkiye condemn attack
Meanwhile, China condemned the terrorist attack on the imambargah in Islamabad, pledging support on Sunday for the Pakistan government’s efforts to “maintain national security and stability”.
“China is deeply shocked by the deadly explosion in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad and the heavy casualties it has inflicted. China mourns for the lives lost, and our hearts go out to the injured and those who lost their loved ones.
“China strongly condemns the attack, opposes any form of terrorism and firmly supports the Pakistani government in safeguarding national security and stability and protecting the safety of the people,” a statement by the Chinese foreign ministry said.
Separately, in a phone call with Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan conveyed “heartfelt condolences on behalf of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, himself, and the brotherly people of Turkiye” over the loss of life in the attack, the Foreign Office said.
Published in Dawn, February 9th, 2026
