Defence Minister queries if Kabul seeks India’s nod for talks

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has accused India of using Afghan territory to pursue its agenda against Pakistan, warning that any terrorist attacks originating from Afghanistan will be met with a strong response.

Speaking to the media, the defence minister questioned whether Afghanistan’s foreign minister was making peace offers with Pakistan after seeking India’s approval, noting that the Afghan official had issued recent statements from New Delhi.

Khawaja Asif alleged that India was attempting to avenge its regional setbacks by operating through Afghanistan. He claimed that the Afghan government was facilitating India’s designs and not taking effective action against terrorist groups using Afghan soil to target Pakistan.

The defence minister declared that Pakistan would settle its score with the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), saying, “The TTP issue will be settled once and for all — and then we will see what the Afghan government has to say.”

He reiterated that Pakistan was open to meaningful dialogue with the Afghan government but would not tolerate cross-border terrorism. “If terrorists come from Afghanistan, we will pursue them,” he warned.

Commenting on domestic politics, Khawaja Asif also criticized the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for allegedly attempting to blackmail the state by nominating a new chief minister in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. “The state will respond to such blackmailing attempts appropriately,” he said.

Also Read: Khawaja Asif accuses PTI founder of sheltering Taliban, urges Afghan refugees to return home

Earlier today, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif alleged that the founder of PTI brought thousands of Taliban into Pakistan and sheltered them.

In a post on social media platform X, Khawaja Asif claimed that PTI still advocates negotiating with terrorists, and stressed that for years our armed forces and citizens have been shedding blood.

Khawaja Asif said there were lengthy talks with the Afghan government over many years, but despite delegations travelling to and from Kabul, violence in Pakistan did not cease.