Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said that Pakistan’s current security problems are linked to earlier policy choices. He argued that friendly engagement with Afghan Taliban leaders, including high-profile visits to Kabul “for tea,” created long-term consequences that the country is now facing.
Speaking on Samaa TV’s program Meray Sawal, Khawaja Asif warned that the proxy conflict inside Pakistan is growing again. He said that militant networks operating across the border are becoming more active and are using the situation in Afghanistan to strengthen their influence.
He criticised past policymakers who believed they had a strong understanding with the Taliban. According to him, the idea of deep alignment was a serious misjudgment. He noted that many senior Taliban members lived in Pakistan for years, which should prompt the country to reflect on its earlier decisions.
The defence minister said these choices gave the Taliban space to expand and have now come back to create pressure on Pakistan. He stressed that the country must acknowledge and regret the strategic mistakes that shaped the current environment.
Khawaja Asif also cautioned that the threat of war with India remains present. He said that tensions with the eastern neighbour continue and that India is actively looking for ways to exert pressure on Pakistan. He added that India is attempting to use Afghanistan as a channel to influence Pakistan and regain lost ground.
He claimed that India wants to counterbalance earlier diplomatic setbacks by involving itself more deeply in Afghanistan. According to him, this effort is designed to “remove its shame” and apply indirect pressure on Pakistan.
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Despite the rising security challenges, the defence minister expressed confidence in Pakistan’s internal military structure. He said that harmony within the armed forces is stronger than ever. He added that improved coordination among institutions will help Pakistan manage both internal and external threats.
