Pakistan Defence Minister Warns of Coordinated Attack Threat from Afghanistan and India
Pakistan’s Defence Minister, Khawaja Asif, has warned that his country faces the danger of a joint attack from Afghanistan and India, a matter he said must be seriously considered in Pakistan’s defence planning.
In an interview with Geo News on Wednesday, responding to a question about the possibility of a coordinated attack by India and Afghanistan, Asif said he had “no doubt” about it. He claimed that although Afghanistan under the Taliban appears to show friendship towards Pakistan, in practice it is not sincere.
The Pakistani Defence Minister emphasized that Islamabad believes Afghan territory is being used to act against Pakistan’s security. He illustrated this with an example, saying if a shot is fired from one house towards another, it is considered an act of hostility.
Islamabad had previously alleged that militants opposing Pakistan use areas in Afghanistan to carry out attacks; claims that the Taliban administration has consistently denied. However, critics say the continued accusations indicate the Taliban government’s failure to provide security assurances to neighboring countries.
Khawaja Asif added that the joint threat from India and Afghanistan should be incorporated as a fundamental factor in Pakistan’s defence policy. He described the region as “very sensitive and dangerous,” and said that even if these countries appear as friends or brothers on the surface, in his view they are enemies of Pakistan.
These remarks come as verbal tensions between Taliban officials and Pakistan had eased over the past month, and only a week has passed since the senior Taliban diplomat began his work in New Delhi.
Pakistan accuses India, Afghanistan, and the Taliban administration of supporting the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and some Baloch groups, alleging that Delhi channels financial aid to these groups through the Taliban. Conversely, the Taliban administration has repeatedly accused Pakistan of supporting ISIS.
In recent months, relations between the Taliban administration and India have expanded, and for the first time, a Taliban chargé d’affaires has started working in New Delhi. The Taliban hopes that by strengthening these ties, shortages of certain imported goods from Pakistan, especially medicine, can be compensated for through India.
This situation arises despite Pakistan’s support for the Taliban during their battle with the previous Afghan government and its American allies. However, after the Taliban regained power, differences between the two sides, especially regarding attacks by the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, have intensified. Analysts say the Pakistani Defence Minister’s recent statements reflect Islamabad’s dissatisfaction with the Taliban administration’s security performance and the country’s concerns over the Taliban’s growing closeness to New Delhi.
