The recent bombing at an Islamabad mosque by the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) isn’t just a tragic event; it’s a stark reminder of escalating terror in Pakistan. After a year of relative silence in Pakistan, ISKP has re-emerged with deadly intent, exploiting critical gaps in the nation’s security.
While ISKP has conducted attacks in Pakistan since 2015, their activity sharply intensified after 2022, with a staggering 90 claimed attacks. This marks a clear shift from 2021, when ISKP began relocating operations from Afghanistan to Pakistan, openly labeling it an “enemy nation.” Their ultimate goal? To establish an Islamic state and dismantle the current establishment.
The Islamabad attack was strategically timed. It coincided with major operations by the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), drawing security forces’ attention elsewhere and leaving the capital vulnerable. Officials suggest ISKP seized this moment of lax security to strike.
Beyond exploiting internal vulnerabilities, the attack also sent a pointed message to the United States. Pakistan’s improving ties with the US, coupled with recent American airstrikes against the Islamic State in Syria and Africa, appear to have provoked ISKP. The bombing served as a defiant reassertion of their power.
Analysts also note a worrying change in ISKP’s tactics: attacks are no longer confined to border regions like Balochistan but are now reaching major cities like Islamabad and Karachi, carrying the signature of high-impact operations.
Essentially, ISKP has capitalized on Pakistan’s internal security challenges, including the rise of Baloch separatists and the breakdown of peace deals with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Despite past attempts by Pakistan’s intelligence to strike deals with ISKP, hoping to redirect their focus, these efforts have failed. The Islamabad mosque blast confirms ISKP’s resolve to weaken Pakistan, paving the way for its own ambitious goals, including eventually challenging the Taliban in Afghanistan. Pakistan’s gambit, it seems, has backfired spectacularly.
