Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has cast doubt on the recently agreed 48-hour ceasefire between Pakistan and Afghanistan, declaring that the Afghan Taliban have effectively become “agents of New Delhi” and are waging a proxy war against Pakistan on India’s behalf.
Speaking on Geo News programme Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath, the minister said the ceasefire appeared fragile and unreliable, given what he described as the Taliban’s deep alignment with Indian interests. “I have serious reservations about the sustainability of this truce because the Taliban are under Delhi’s patronage. Kabul today is fighting a proxy war for India,” Asif said.
He asserted that Pakistan was fully capable of defending its sovereignty and responding to any act of aggression from Afghanistan. “Our forces have the capability and preparedness to respond decisively. If they widen the scope of war, we will respond with full strength, God willing,” he warned.
The minister revealed that Pakistan had carried out targeted strikes in Afghanistan prior to the ceasefire, which was brokered through the intervention of friendly nations. However, he cautioned that the truce remained weak and vulnerable to collapse. “This ceasefire is extremely fragile. I doubt it will last long,” he said.
Asif stressed that while Pakistan was open to any genuine initiative for constructive dialogue, it would never tolerate violations of the ceasefire or attacks on its territory. “We do not seek confrontation, but if our border areas are shelled or our posts attacked, we will respond without hesitation. Defence of our land is non-negotiable,” he asserted.
He said the situation along the Afghan border was in line with the Foreign Office’s ceasefire statement but criticized Kabul for spreading false propaganda after recent clashes. “While I support the 48-hour ceasefire, Kabul continues to mislead the world. They are circulating fabricated videos claiming to have captured Pakistani tanks whereas such tanks do not even exist in our arsenal. Perhaps they bought them from a junk dealer,” Asif remarked wryly.
When asked about the Pakistan Air Force’s (PAF) operational role, the defence minister declined to disclose specifics, but maintained that Pakistan retained both the right and the capability to target any threat emanating from Afghan territory.
Commenting on the possible involvement of Saudi Arabia under a defence understanding, he said friendly nations could play a constructive mediatory role but noted that, for now, such speculation was premature.
Islamabad has once again urged Kabul to prevent terrorist groups from using Afghan soil for cross-border attacks — an accusation Afghanistan continues to reject, claiming that its territory is not being used against any neighbour.
The use of Afghan territory by militant groups has long remained a key source of tension between the two countries, and the recent escalation in border skirmishes has further deepened the diplomatic rift between Islamabad and Kabul.
