Pakistan Declares 'State of War,' Accuses India of Proxy Attacks Via Afghanistan

Pakistan's Defence Minister [Khawaja Asif] declared his country to be in a "state of war" on November 11, 2025, following separate suicide bombings that killed at least 24 people in Islamabad and South Waziristan. Asif explicitly accused India of orchestrating the attacks, claiming it is "Indian aggression that is being waged in our country through the route of Afghanistan." The warning, which included the threat of military strikes inside Afghanistan, marks a severe escalation in a volatile conflict triangle, coming just one day after a car bomb killed 12 in New Delhi.

The Context (How We Got Here)

Tensions have been high for months. In May 2025, India and Pakistan exchanged direct military strikes—["Operation Sindoor"] and "Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos"—following a major terror attack in Pahalgam. More recently, Pakistan's security establishment was unnerved by an October 10 visit by Afghan Foreign Minister [Amir Khan Muttaqi] to India, which upgraded diplomatic ties to the embassy level. Pakistan, viewing this as "strategic encirclement," conducted airstrikes against alleged [Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)] targets in Afghanistan on October 9. The current crisis follows the collapse of ceasefire talks and a deadly attack at Delhi's [Red Fort] on November 10, which Pakistan, without evidence, also blamed on "Indian-backed militants."

The Key Players (Who & So What)

[Khawaja Asif] (Pakistan Defence Minister): The source of the escalatory rhetoric, Asif is channeling the Pakistani military's narrative that India is waging a proxy war through Afghanistan. He has provided no public evidence for this claim.
[S. Jaishankar] (India External Affairs Minister): The architect of India's strategic pivot to engaging the [Taliban] regime. The October 10 joint statement, which referenced Kashmir as Indian territory, was seen by Pakistan as a direct challenge, facilitated by its Afghan neighbors.
[Amir Khan Muttaqi] (Afghan Foreign Minister): Represents the Taliban's pragmatic "hedging" strategy. His landmark visit to India secured a diplomatic upgrade and a strategic partnership, which Pakistan interpreted as a betrayal and a primary cause for its own military escalations.
[Taliban] Leadership (Afghanistan): Officially denies harboring the TTP and calls the issue Pakistan's "internal matter." However, Pakistan claims 55% of terrorists killed in its operations are Afghan nationals, highlighting a deep credibility gap.

The BIGSTORY Reframe (The BigStory Angle)

While most reports are focusing on the immediate threat of war, the deeper story is Pakistan's use of escalatory rhetoric to mask a critical lack of evidence. Pakistan's claims that India is sponsoring the [TTP] attacks—which killed 12 at an Islamabad court and over 12 at a Wana military academy—are unsubstantiated. This narrative of an "India proxy war" conveniently shifts blame from Pakistan's own internal security failures in managing the TTP, and serves as a political justification for potential military action against an Afghan regime that is now pivoting strategically toward India.

The Implications (Why This Changes Things)

Asif's accusations, though unsubstantiated, put three nations on a dangerous path. Pakistan's threat of strikes on Afghanistan, a country it already bombed in October, could reignite a full-scale border war. This has already shuttered the [Torkham] and [Chaman] border crossings, halting over $2 billion in trade. For India, Pakistan's rhetoric attempts to poison its new diplomatic relationship with the Taliban and frame its legitimate engagement as aggression. With regional mediation efforts by [China] and Turkey having failed, the region lacks a clear de-escalation mechanism.

The Closing Question (Now, Think About This)

When a nation's official narrative of external aggression is not supported by evidence, does it make a retaliatory war more or less likely?

Sources

News Coverage

India Today – Pak warns Afghanistan after terror attacks: Will pay back in the same coin
NDTV – Khawaja Asif's 'War' Threat To Kabul After Pak Taliban Claims Islamabad Attack (Note: Original link was a YouTube video from a search result, the NDTV article link matching the brief's title is provided for accuracy.)
TIME – Blasts—and Blame—Raise Tensions Between India and Pakistan
Times of India – Intel report links Delhi Red Fort blast to Jaish-e-Muhammed’s revenge
The Chosun Ilbo – Pakistan points finger at India for suicide bombing
Al Jazeera – Pakistan says 'India proxies' behind Islamabad bombing: What we know so far

Research & Analysis

Sseema Giill Founder & CEO

Sseema Giill is an inspiring media professional, CEO of Screenage Media Pvt Ltd, and founder of the NGO AGE (Association for Gender Equality). She is also the Founder CEO and Chief Editor at BIGSTORY NETWORK. Giill champions women's empowerment and gender equality, particularly in rural India, and was honored with the Champions of Change Award in 2023.