The year 2025 was certainly the most turbulent and violent period in KP’s recent history.
A heavy toll was inflicted by militancy on civilians and security forces. Considerable infrastructure was destroyed and tension with Afghanistan escalated as most TTP attacks came from across the border in Afghanistan. This left communities in various parts of KP traumatized, as the daily lives were disrupted and life made insecure.
The province recorded over 1,558 terror incidents in 2025. Most of the attacks were carried out by TTP militants coming from across the border in Afghanistan. According to authentic sources, many Afghan fighters were present in these cross- border raids and sabotage activities. These assaults led to the death of 223 civilians and serious injuries to about 570 others. Several major attacks took place in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) in 2025. On March 4, two suicide car bombings in Bannu killed 12 civilians, including seven children and wounding 30 others. Nearby buildings and a mosque were destroyed. On the 28th of June 2025 a suicide car bombing in North Waziristan targeted a military vehicle. About 14 soldiers were martyred, while more than 25 troops and civilians were wounded. On December 19 militants carried out a coordinated suicide bombing and armed attack on a military post again in North Waziristan killing four soldier and injuring at least 15 civilians. Several houses and a mosque were also damaged in this assault. Towards the end of the year in December, suspected militants in Bajor shot dead a policeman acting as a guard with a polio vaccination team. The attack also highlighted how relentless the threats to our public health measures were. Explosive detonations damaged police outposts, Frontier Corps installations and civilian neighborhoods. As a result families were dislocated and daily life was disrupted in North Waziristan, South Waziristan and Khyber Districts as well as Bannu.
Tension along the Pak-Afghan border persisted throughout the year but escalated dramatically in October 2025. This rise in tensions between the two bordering countries was largely due to the unwillingness of the Afghan regime to stop the TTP attacks from Afghanistan. This was in spite of repeated requests by Pakistan to prevent TTP from using Afghan soil from being used to launch attacks against Pakistan. The Afghan government is under obligation, according to the Doha accord, to prevent all terrorist groups from using its soil for attacks against other countries. A ceasefire was arranged between the two countries, which was repeatedly violated by Afghanistan, as a result mistrust and accusations between the two sides persisted.
According to reliable reports, the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan has a strength of around 6,000 fighters across Khost, Kunar, Nangarhar, Pakitika and Paktiya provinces in Afghanistan. On the 15th of March the TTP launched the spring offensive called Al-Khandak. It targeted Pakistan’s security forces and installation. Many suicide bombers coming from across the boaders were said to be Afghan Citizens. In Tirah valley of Khyber district alone, terrorist attacks claimed more than 34 lives last year. In July, seven civilian protestors lost their lives in Bagh Maidan Tirah Valley. Two frontier Constabulary personnel were also martyred in the attacks. The TTP leadership allegedly receives logistical and financial support from the Afghan Taliban. Financial support is most probably given to the TTP by India also. Senior leaders of TTP including its current Amir Noor Wali Mehsud are reported to be in Kabul. According to government sources his family receives $43,000 monthly stipend from the Afghan regime. The TTP seems to be grooming future leaders and political successors. A TTP affiliate Al-Qaida remains active in Afghanistan with senior commanders reportedly living in Kabul. The Haqqani network, besides the TTP, seems to be supporting it. Al-Qaeda in the Indian sub-continent is led by Ossama Mahmood, and operates in South Eastern Afghanistan with 200 – 300 members. They are also focused on targeting Pakistan and collaborating with TTP for training purposes. People of KP province in Pakistan are suffering from extreme anxiety and something akin to existential threat. Their daily lives, travel, education and access to health care, property damage, by frequent militant attacks have totally disrupted their lives. North and South Waziristan, Bajaur, and Khyber Districts are badly affected by militancy. Similarly Southern District of KP like Tank, D.I. Khan, Bannu and Laki Marwat are very badly hit by terrorism also. In response to rising terrorism in KP, a major counter – insurgency operation is scheduled to begin in January, 2026. This operation will be targeting militant infrastructure in border areas with Afghanistan and Tirah valley in Khyber District. The civilians have been asked to vacate their homes and relocate to safer areas before the operation starts.
A major point of contention with the provincial government headed by the PTI in KP is the PTI’s strong opposition to the military operation. The PTI’s stance is that dislocating thousands of people from their homes will only increase their suffering. The PTI seems to be skeptical about the success of the operations, as according to it such operations have not been totally successful previously also. This contention of PTI is not completely true, as large swathes of territory were successfully taken fromTTP in Swat , Waziristan, orakizi and bajaour districts. In fact the establishment holdserious grievances against the PTI government in KP for not owning the impending operations. The operations in the national cause, however, must be and it seems will be carried out at any rate.
As the year 2025 has ended, the security situation in KP remains quite bleak. The last year saw high human cost taken by Pakistani citizens, civilians as well as security forces.
The persistent presence of cross border militancy and increasing frequency of terrorist attacks suggest that 2026 will yet be a very challenging year for or security forces as as well as civilians of KP.
—The writer, a former Health Minister of KP , is based in Islamabad.
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