Pakistan’s Defence Minister Says Hopes for the Taliban ‘Are Over’
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif declared on Tuesday, November 25, that Islamabad no longer has any trust or expectations from the Taliban, effectively removing the group from its strategic considerations.
In an interview with Geo News, Asif criticized the Taliban’s performance over the past two decades, saying their only achievement has been the recapture of Kabul. “Today, we completely ignore them; there are no positive expectations left,” he said, signaling a clear escalation in tensions and growing mistrust between Islamabad and the Taliban.
Addressing recent airstrikes, the minister claimed that Pakistan’s military had not targeted any Afghan civilians. “We are an organized force with military principles, unlike the Taliban, who lack code of conduct, traditions, or even a religious framework,” he said.
Responding strongly to the Taliban’s claims of retaliation under Sharia law, Asif said, “What Islamic law do they follow, having lived for years in a neighboring country’s soil only to then shed blood? The Sharia they refer to is a fabrication of their own and has no relation to the traditions of the Prophet of Islam.”
He dismissed Taliban threats as mere rhetoric and warned that relying on them would be a grave strategic mistake. “There is no greater folly than depending on the promises of this group,” Asif added.
In another part of the interview, Asif discussed regional trade and said that if the Taliban chose to engage in commerce with India, Pakistan would not intervene. “Ultimately, those goods will find their way into our markets.”
The defence minister also highlighted the importance of regional powers such as Turkey, Iran, and Qatar in mediating peace, noting that these countries benefit from regional stability and that peace can create job opportunities for both Afghans and their neighbors.
According to Asif, if the current trajectory continues, Taliban rule will drive Afghanistan toward collapse. He warned that if the group does not change its course, regional countries will be forced to intervene, leading to the Taliban’s complete isolation—which he believes would result in their inevitable downfall.
