ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Wednesday delivered a stark warning to Afghanistan, asserting that if Kabul continues to harbour terrorists, Pakistan will respond in the same decisive manner it did against India last year.
Speaking in National Assembly, the minister said bluntly: “If they are not ready, then what we did with Delhi, we will do the same with Kabul.”
The minister did not mince words, declaring that Afghanistan had effectively become an instrument of Indian policy.
“At this time, Afghanistan has become India’s proxy,” he said. “Kabul is fighting a Hindutva war against us. There is no difference between Delhi and Kabul at this time,” he added, while stressing that Pakistan nevertheless wished for a peaceful resolution.
The minister criticised repeated diplomatic efforts to engage Afghanistan, citing overtures via Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, all of which had failed to produce results.
“In negotiations in Qatar, Afghanistan agreed to everything but later refused to give guarantees,” he said, pointing out that Kabul was ready to offer verbal assurances but not written commitments.
Pakistan’s key demand remains a written pledge that Afghan territory will not be used to launch attacks against Pakistan, and that terrorists operating within its borders will be expelled.
“The Kabul government is not willing to guarantee that its territory will not be used for attacks against Pakistan,” Asif said. “Afghanistan is not willing to expel terrorists from its territory. Afghanistan is not willing to stop terrorists either.”
He insisted, however, that Pakistan remains open to dialogue, provided Kabul furnishes written assurances against terrorism.
Referencing the recent deadly attack in Bannu, Asif said the sacrifices of the Pakistan Army continue unabated. “We are being forced into war because of this situation,” he warned, noting that following India’s defeat last year, New Delhi was now acting through Afghanistan.
On the diplomatic front, the minister confirmed that backchannel discussions through a third country remain ongoing, though he withheld further details. “Talks are still ongoing through a third country, but I cannot say much at this stage,” he said.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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