Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar has officially confirmed that the devastating suicide attack in Islamabad on November 11 was orchestrated from Afghanistan by the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Noor Wali Mehsud.
The minister, during a press conference in Islamabad, stated that the suicide bomber was unable to reach his primary target due to enhanced security protocols. However, the explosion outside the District Judicial Complex in G-11 sector still resulted in significant casualties, with at least 12 people martyred and 36 others injured.
Investigation Uncovers Transnational Terror Network
Minister Tarar detailed that the attack was executed on the direct instructions of TTP chief Noor Wali Mehsud through his commander, Dadullah, who operates from inside Afghanistan. In a swift response, a joint operation by the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) led to the arrest of four key suspects within just 48 hours of the incident.
The arrested individuals were identified as Sajidullah alias Shina, Kamran Khan, Muhammad Zali, and Shah Munir. Tarar revealed that Sajidullah had traveled to Afghanistan in August 2025 to meet commander Dadullah and maintained communication via a messaging application.
Detailed Plot and Confessions
Providing a deeper timeline, the minister explained that Sajidullah initially joined the Afghan Taliban back in 2015 and received training at various camps. His involvement deepened in 2023 when he met Dadullah in Afghanistan. Subsequently, he traveled with Dadullah and Muhammad Zali to Shegal, where they met another TTP militant, Abdullah Jan alias Abu Hamza, before proceeding to Kabul.
It was during these meetings that Dadullah conveyed Mehsud's orders for carrying out suicide attacks in Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Sajidullah later returned to Pakistan and facilitated the attack by meeting the suicide bomber, Usman Shinwari, a resident of Nangarhar, Afghanistan, and providing him with the explosive vest.
To substantiate these claims, the minister played a video statement during the press briefing in which Sajidullah confessed to his central role in planning and facilitating the attack.
Separate Attack in Peshawar Also Points to Afghan Link
In a related development concerning regional security, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General Zulfiqar Hameed stated that initial investigations into the attack on the Federal Constabulary (FC) Headquarters in Peshawar suggest the three militants involved were likely Afghan nationals.
He informed reporters that investigators have gathered critical evidence, including photographs, fingerprints, and CCTV footage. The suspects' movements prior to the attack have been traced, and the location where they stayed the night before the assault has been identified. The motorcycle used by the militants has been recovered, with forensic teams obtaining fingerprints from it. However, no facilitators have been arrested in connection with this particular attack yet.
