Pakistan will continue taking decisive and targeted measures to eliminate cross-border terrorism, declared Defense Minister Khawaja Asif on Saturday, while responding strongly to what he termed as a “misleading and baseless” statement by the Afghan Taliban regime.
In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter), the defense minister asserted that both Pakistan’s political and military leadership are “completely united and working in full coordination” to safeguard the country’s sovereignty and security. He emphasized that Pakistan will not compromise when it comes to defending its borders or the lives of its citizens.
Khawaja Asif accused the Afghan Taliban of harboring and supporting terrorist networks that carry out attacks inside Pakistan, claiming that these militants operate as “proxies of India” with the intent to destabilize the region. “The Afghan Taliban are directly or indirectly facilitating Indian-sponsored proxies that target Pakistan’s security forces and civilians alike,” he stated.
Highlighting the deteriorating situation within Afghanistan, Asif said that the Taliban government is “deeply divided internally” and facing “growing instability.” He warned that the Taliban’s failure to establish a stable and inclusive political system is not only endangering Afghanistan’s future but also threatening regional peace.
The defense minister further criticized the Taliban for their continued repression of women, children, and minorities, describing it as the “true face” of the regime that seized power in Kabul four years ago. “The Afghan Taliban have consistently violated their international commitments. Their treatment of women, girls, and ethnic minorities reflects their unwillingness to evolve or honor the promises they made to the world,” he added.
Khawaja Asif maintained that despite repeated assurances to the international community, the Taliban leadership has failed to prevent the use of Afghan soil by terrorist groups. “Their refusal to act against terrorist sanctuaries on their soil directly undermines regional stability and contradicts the assurances they gave after taking power in 2021,” he noted.
He also pointed out that the Taliban’s inability to fulfill global expectations has isolated Afghanistan diplomatically and economically. “Four years on, they remain disconnected from the international community, primarily because they have chosen to serve external agendas instead of focusing on the welfare of their own people,” Asif remarked.
