ISLAMABAD – Two young National Guard soldiers were killed in a brutal shooting, and as the news broke, Foreign Office issued stark warning as this was not just a tragedy, and it was a sign that the ghosts of global terrorism were stirring once again.
Amid the shock, Pakistan’s Foreign Office condemned what it called “a heinous act of terrorism” after two National Guard soldiers were gunned down just blocks from White House. Responding to the incident, Pakistan’s FO issued a statement, condemning attack in the strongest possible terms, and warning that the shooting “heralds a troubling resurgence of terrorism on a global scale.”
Foreign Office said the suspected gunman was “reportedly an Afghan national,” and expressed deep sympathy for the victims, their families, and the American people. This was undoubtedly an act of terrorism and a heinous assault on US soil, it said. It mentioned that Pakistan has endured countless similar attacks with roots in Afghanistan for over two decades.
Islamabad’s statement called on the world to recognise threat posed by transnational extremism, urging renewed international cooperation. “This incident underscores the need for enhanced global counterterrorism efforts.”
Pakistan reaffirmed its commitment to working with the US and the international community to confront what it called a “shared menace.” US federal authorities have already escalated the case into a full-fledged terrorism investigation.
Officials identified the suspected shooter as 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who had previously been part of a CIA-backed Afghan paramilitary unit before being brought to the United States in 2021 under a resettlement programme following the chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal.
The attack carried out in one of the most heavily secured areas in the world rattled US authorities and triggered urgent questions about security, vetting of resettled individuals, and the threat of extremist violence penetrating the American capital.
