ISLAMABAD: In a significant escalation of rhetoric, Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif has declared that the country is prepared to take direct action in Afghanistan in response to a recent surge in terrorist attacks, which he attributes to militants operating with impunity from Afghan soil.
Speaking exclusively on Geo News’ program Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada, the minister stated that Pakistan would not let the aggression go unpunished and vowed a “befitting reply.” He sharply criticized the Afghan Taliban government, asserting that their “condemnation or expression of regret” is insufficient and cannot be taken as proof of their innocence.
Minister Asif directly accused elements “living in the shelter of the Afghan Taliban” of repeatedly attacking Pakistan. He cited the recent attack on Cadet College Wana as an example, praising the Pakistan Army for successfully saving the cadets. He emphasized that most terrorist incidents in Pakistan are now perpetrated by Afghan nationals.
The Defense Minister also implicated India, alleging it is “aggressing through Afghanistan.” He claimed that terrorists receive funding from the Indian consulate in Afghanistan and stated that there is “no ambiguity in the minds of mediators” regarding India’s role. While Pakistan remains on high alert regarding its eastern neighbor, the immediate focus of its diplomatic and security efforts appears to be its western border.
Asif confirmed that Pakistan would present evidence of what he termed “Afghan interference” to international mediators. He declared that all available diplomatic options would be utilized but left the door open for military action, signaling a potentially volatile new chapter in Pak-Afghan relations and underscoring the government’s hardened stance on national security.
Meanwhile the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has strongly condemned Tuesday’s deadly suicide attack in Islamabad, which resulted in significant civilian casualties. Through a spokesperson, the UN chief expressed his profound sadness over the attack and called for the perpetrators to be swiftly brought to justice.
The condemnation was delivered by Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Aziz Haq during the regular noon briefing at UN Headquarters in New York. “The Secretary-General is deeply saddened by the reported suicide attack, and he extends his condolences to the families of the victims and wishes a full recovery to those injured,” Haq stated in response to a question about the incident.
