Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has warned that Pakistan would avoid military action if India refrains from escalating tensions, but would deliver a more than appropriate response if India carries out any intrusion or attack.
In an interview with the Russian broadcaster RT, Khawaja Asif criticized the decisions of Pakistan’s former rulers to participate in the Soviet-Afghan war in the late 1980s and to provide a platform for the training and encouragement of militants by Western powers, calling it a grave mistake.
The minister stated that Pakistan continues to suffer from terrorism in the region due to decades-old policies of Western governments, particularly the United States. He emphasized that the “jihad” introduced by the West altered the country’s moral fabric and gave rise to Pakistan’s current challenges. Islamabad, he said, extended full support during the war in Afghanistan, and later, after the 9/11 attacks, rejoined the alliance.
“These wars, in my humble opinion, were not our wars; they were conflicts between global powers,” Khawaja Asif remarked, adding that Pakistan continues to bear the consequences of past policies. “We suffered enormous losses, and the United States abandoned us around 1989 or 1990. Following America’s disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, the security situation deteriorated further,” he said.
Responding to a question, the defence minister pointed out that the Pashtun community is divided between Pakistan and Afghanistan, with a significant portion residing in Pakistan. Highlighting the ground realities, he stated that around six million undocumented Afghans are currently living in Pakistan.
“There is no one willing to take responsibility for what is happening to us,” Khawaja Asif said.
Responding to another question regarding the Pahalgam incident, Khawaja Asif asserted that it is Pakistan which has been the real victim of terrorism in the region, while India falsely blames Pakistan for incidents with which it has no connection.
