New Delhi, September 11, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Twenty-five years after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks reshaped global security and diplomacy, Pakistan continues to confront the political, economic and security consequences of decisions it made in the aftermath of the attacks and during the preceding decades.
The destruction of New York’s World Trade Center towers and the deaths of thousands triggered a sweeping US-led “war on terror”. Within weeks, Pakistan became a frontline ally of Washington, gaining renewed strategic importance after years of international pressure following its nuclear tests.
The sanctions imposed on Pakistan were lifted, while billions of dollars in US assistance began flowing into the country. Between 2001 and 2019, Pakistan reportedly received more than $34 billion from the United States, much of it linked to counterterrorism cooperation.
Islamabad provided logistical and intelligence support to US operations and offered access to military facilities. The arrangement brought substantial short-term financial relief to an economy that was struggling at the time.
However, the security consequences proved severe.
Although none of the 9/11 hijackers were Pakistani nationals, the country’s association with Al Qaeda deepened after terror mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was captured in Rawalpindi in 2003.
The most consequential development came in 2011, when Al Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden was killed by a US Navy SEAL team during a raid on his compound in Abbottabad. The discovery of bin Laden living in the Pakistani garrison town, roughly 80 km from Islamabad, intensified international questions about how he had managed to remain there undetected.
The post-9/11 period also saw a dramatic deterioration in Pakistan’s internal security. Pakistani media reports this week have highlighted estimates that more than 70,000 people were killed in terrorism-related violence over the following two decades.
The economic legacy of the war on terror has similarly been described as mixed. While US assistance helped stabilise Pakistan in the short term and opened avenues for investment, prolonged terrorism and political instability disrupted trade, discouraged investment and weakened tourism.
Pakistan’s Finance Ministry has estimated that the country suffered economic losses reportedly exceeding $150 billion as a result of instability associated with terrorism and the wider security environment.
Commentators in Pakistani publications, including Dawn and The News International, have argued that the foreign assistance did not translate into sustained industrial growth. Instead, Pakistan remained heavily reliant on external financing, leaving its economy vulnerable to changes in geopolitical priorities.
The security challenges also expanded beyond Pakistan’s traditional rivalry with India. The rise of the Taliban in Afghanistan, sectarian militancy, and insurgent and separatist movements in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa emerged as major concerns.
Pakistan’s relationship with Afghanistan also deteriorated despite Islamabad’s earlier role in supporting Afghan militant groups. Its past association with the Mujahideen during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, including covert US assistance through the CIA, and its subsequent relationship with the Taliban contributed to accusations that Pakistan pursued conflicting objectives.
While Islamabad cooperated with Washington in the post-9/11 campaign, it was also accused of providing safe haven to Taliban leaders. The discovery of bin Laden in Abbottabad further damaged Pakistan’s international credibility and fuelled suspicions about its counterterrorism commitments.
Twenty-five years on, assessments in Pakistan increasingly portray the legacy of 9/11 as a double-edged experience: substantial external assistance and renewed strategic relevance on one side, but prolonged terrorism, economic losses, diplomatic mistrust and internal instability on the other.
For Pakistan, the anniversary has therefore renewed a debate over whether the choices made before and after 9/11 delivered lasting strategic gains—or left the country dealing with consequences that continue to shape its security, economy and foreign relations.
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