Pakistan’s Defence Minister Issues Stern Warning to Taliban Over Collapse of Talks
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has issued a sharp warning to the Taliban following a breakdown in talks between Islamabad and the group, threatening them with total destruction if they continue their current course.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, October 29, Asif said that if the Taliban administration is determined to once again devastate Afghanistan and its defenseless people, then “so be it,” but warned that Pakistan’s response would be “crushing.”
Referring to the recent failed negotiations in Istanbul, Asif said that Pakistan had entered the talks at the request of neighboring countries and at the Taliban’s own pleading. However, he now believes the group is dragging Afghanistan into a new crisis in order to maintain its grip on power and sustain its war-driven economy.
In a threatening tone, Asif stated that the region may once again witness scenes of Taliban fighters fleeing “with their tails between their legs” into the caves of Tora Bora — a reference to their past defeats.
He emphasized that Islamabad would not need to deploy its full military arsenal to defeat the militants, and urged the Taliban not to underestimate Pakistan’s power and resolve.
The Pakistani defence minister also pushed back against the historic narrative of Afghanistan as a “graveyard of empires,” arguing that the country has mostly served as a battleground for global powers. According to him, Afghanistan has now turned into a graveyard for its own people.
He further warned that any renewed Taliban aggression toward Pakistan would be met with a response that the whole world would witness. Addressing the Taliban directly, he said, “We will no longer tolerate your mockery and betrayal. Every terrorist attack inside Pakistan will come at a heavy price.”
The talks between Islamabad and the Taliban administration, mediated by Qatar and Turkey and held in Doha, had initially led to a temporary truce agreement. However, the negotiations ultimately ended in failure.
