‘Afghanistan and India waging a proxy war against Pakistan’: Khawaja Asif | World News

Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif on Tuesday claimed that terror attacks in the country were the result of a “proxy war” waged by India in coordination with the Taliban-led government in Kabul.

In an interview with France 24, Khawaja Asif spoke at length about the country’s security challenges, regional tensions and Islamabad’s stance in the Middle East. He also touched upon the situation in Gaza and assured that Islamabad is ready to contribute to international peacekeeping when necessary.

Referring to the recent bombing of a Shiite mosque in the capital Islamabad, Asif said that “almost all branches of terrorism” were operating in Pakistan due to what he described as the Kabul government’s lack of seriousness in the fight against terrorism. He added that the word “complicity” would be better to describe Afghanistan’s alleged role.

The defense minister warned that Pakistan would “not hesitate” to launch further attacks inside Afghanistan if officials in Kabul “fail to guarantee peace”. He also accused New Delhi of waging a “proxy war” against Pakistan and claimed that India and the Taliban leadership were “on the same page” regarding actions against his country. Asif emphasized that the possibility of war with India remains a “possibility”.

Gaza and its peacekeeping role

Referring to the situation in Gaza, Asif said Pakistan would consider contributing to a potential international stabilization force, but it would only depend on “what kind of terms of reference are being drafted for the peacekeeping force.” He noted Pakistan’s long-standing participation in United Nations peacekeeping missions and described participation in Gaza as a “good opportunity” that would help advance efforts towards a two-state solution in the Middle East.

However, Asif stated that under the current conditions, no steps will be taken to normalize relations with Israel. Although many Muslim-majority countries have established diplomatic relations with Israel in recent years, such an option “has not even been considered by Pakistan” unless Palestinians are given “the right to self-determination in their own homeland” within the framework of a two-state solution, he said.