Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has revealed that Pakistan’s negotiations with the Afghan delegation in Türkiye reached an understanding five to six times, but every time the Afghan negotiators contacted Kabul, they returned expressing helplessness to proceed further.
Speaking on Geo News programme Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath, the defence minister said that Pakistan held the talks with a spirit of sympathy and goodwill, yet the Afghan representatives engaged in extremely tough negotiations. “Those sitting in Kabul were pulling their strings, while the puppet show was being controlled from Delhi,” he remarked.
Khawaja Asif said India was the main force behind the entire situation, aiming to push Pakistan into another conflict. He maintained that the Kabul administration lacked the authority to make decisions, and whenever the dialogue reached near agreement, contact with Kabul resulted in an abrupt breakdown. “The Indian influence over Kabul is absolute. Having faced humiliation in previous wars against Pakistan, India now seeks revenge by launching a proxy war through Afghanistan,” he asserted.
The minister acknowledged the constructive roles played by Qatar and Türkiye in facilitating the talks, saying both countries supported Pakistan’s position and sincerely wanted the negotiations to reach a conclusive outcome.
However, Khawaja Asif made it clear that Pakistan could not place trust in any guarantees offered by the Kabul regime. “They are hosting those who martyred over four thousand of our people. Under such circumstances, their assurances hold no credibility,” he said.
He reiterated that Pakistan remains committed to regional peace and dialogue but will not tolerate any hostile designs orchestrated through Afghan soil under Indian influence.
