By Muhammad Anwar
On February 6, 2026, as the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, was concluding a historic state visit to Islamabad, the capital was rocked by a brutal suicide attack on a mosque in Tarlai. The timing was a calculated act of sabotage. Just days earlier, Pakistan had also welcomed President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan, the first such visit in 23 years. These high-level visits led to more than 65 transformative agreements and MoUs, signaling Pakistan’s emergence as the “Southern Gateway” for Central Asian trade.
But whenever Pakistan moves toward stability, the forces of destabilization, fueled by “unseen hands,” respond with blood.
The Human and Economic Price of a Global War
Pakistan’s fight against terrorism is not a recent struggle; it is a two-decade-long war of attrition that has cost the nation its most precious resources. According to research compiled by Freedom Gate Prosperity (FGP):
- The Human Toll: Since 2001, Pakistan has lost over 65,000 lives to terrorist violence. This includes over 23,000 civilians and nearly 9,000 security personnel who stood as a shield for the global community.
- The Economic Hemorrhage: The cumulative economic losses have now surpassed $150 Billion. To put this in perspective, this is nearly 1.5 times the country’s total external debt.
- A Dangerous Resurgence: While violence declined significantly between 2015 and 2020, we are now in a “Third Wave.” The year 2025 was the deadliest in a decade with 3,417 fatalities, and the first 38 days of 2026 have already seen over 120 lives lost in targeted urban attacks.
Diplomacy Under Fire
The enemy’s target is not just a building or a crowd; it is the $2 billion trade target recently set with Uzbekistan and the Strategic Partnership established with Kazakhstan. By striking during these visits, the perpetrators aim to:
- Deter Global Leaders: Creating a false narrative that Pakistan is too volatile for high-level diplomacy.
- Stifle the Transit Trade: Threatening the very rail and road corridors (like the UAP Railway Project) that these 65 MoUs seek to build.
- Economic Strangulation: Forcing the state to divert its meager resources from the “Digital Compliance Gateway” and industrial growth back into a permanent war footing.
The Responsibility of International Players
It is impossible for these terrorist groups to maintain such lethality and timing without external elements providing financial and logistical lifelines. These “unwanted hands” are using terrorism as a tool of geopolitical pressure to keep Pakistan economically destabilized.
The international community must understand that if Pakistan, the buffer zone of the region, is weakened through these proxy wars, the resulting instability will not respect any border. Supporting Pakistan’s economic resilience is the most effective counter-terrorism strategy available today.
Conclusion
The blood spilled in Islamabad yesterday was an attack on the 65 agreements that represent our future. At Freedom Gate Prosperity, we believe that data and facts must lead the way. We call on global powers to hold the external supporters of these proxies accountable. Pakistan has paid its dues in blood and billions; it is time the world stands by us to protect the prosperity we are so diligently trying to build.
——————————–
Muhammad Anwar is CEO of Freedom Gate Prosperity (FGP). With a Master’s in Political Science and 33 years of development experience, he specializes in economic policy and institutional growth. He is a leading voice on the intersection of national security and economic stability in Pakistan.
Email: ceo@fgp.org.pk | www.fgp.org.pk | Mob: +92 300 8507662
