Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry handed a formal diplomatic note to the Afghan deputy head of mission in Islamabad. The protest followed the Monday suicide attack in Bajaur district. Eleven Pakistani soldiers died along with a young girl in the blast.

The ministry issued a statement accusing insurgents operating from Afghan soil of carrying out the bombing. ‘Pakistan reserves the right to respond and eliminate those who were behind the attack wherever they may be located, to protect its soldiers, civilians and borders,’ the statement said. Afghanistan has not commented publicly on the summons.

The incident highlights ongoing friction between the two countries. Tensions spiked after border clashes in October 2025 that killed dozens of soldiers, civilians and suspected militants on both sides. Those clashes came days after explosions in Kabul on Oct. 9, which Afghan officials blamed on Pakistan.

A Qatar-mediated ceasefire has held since then. But follow-up talks in Istanbul produced no lasting deal. Relations between Islamabad and Kabul stay tense amid mutual accusations.

Pakistan faces a wave of militant violence in recent years. Officials point to the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, as responsible for most strikes. The TTP operates separately from Afghanistan’s Taliban government, which took power in 2021. Even so, the groups maintain close ties.

Islamabad repeatedly claims the TTP enjoys safe haven in Afghanistan. Both the militants and Kabul reject the charge. The latest attack in Bajaur highlights the challenge. That volatile region hugs the Afghan border, where cross-border militant activity remains common.

Pakistani forces have ramped up operations against TTP strongholds. Still, attacks persist. In Bajaur alone, militants have launched several assaults this year, according to military reports. The suicide bombing targeted a military convoy, officials said.

The Foreign Ministry’s move signals Islamabad’s frustration with Kabul’s refusal to act against TTP bases. Pakistan has raised the issue in multiple diplomatic channels. Afghan officials counter that they cannot control every militant faction on their rugged terrain.

Regional dynamics add layers to the dispute. China, a key Pakistani ally, has pushed for stability along the border to protect its investments. The U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 shifted power balances, emboldening groups like the TTP. Islamabad views the Afghan Taliban as unwilling or unable to rein in allies.

For now, the diplomatic protest marks a calibrated response. Pakistan stopped short of military action across the border. But the ministry’s warning leaves room for retaliation if attacks continue.

Local residents in Bajaur mourned the victims Tuesday. The girl killed in the blast was identified as a civilian passerby. Soldiers’ funerals drew crowds in nearby towns. Security forces sealed off the blast site for investigation.