(Image source from: ANI)
Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has made serious accusations, claiming that Kabul is being used by New Delhi to instigate chaos in his nation. He also cautioned that there would be a response "50 times stronger" if Kabul were to launch an attack on Islamabad. During an interview on Geo News' evening program 'Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada ke Saath,' he criticized Afghan negotiators for frequently retreating from the peace agreement. This statement followed the failure of peace discussions between Pakistan and Afghanistan in Istanbul.
"As we came close to reaching a deal—whether in the last four days or the previous week—every time the negotiators reported back to Kabul, interference occurred and the deal was revoked," Asif expressed, as mentioned by Dawn. "I think the talks were intentionally disrupted. We had a deal, but then they contacted Kabul and backed out." Kabul had previously rejected similar claims from Islamabad as unfounded. Nevertheless, the Pakistani minister acknowledged the Afghan negotiators for their cooperation while directing his criticism toward the leaders in Kabul.
Using the typical tactics from Islamabad to shift the narrative, he claimed that Kabul is under the influence of New Delhi. "I would praise their delegation, but the individuals in Kabul who are controlling matters are guided by Delhi," he noted. "India is trying to recover from its losses on their western front through Kabul. The leadership there (in Afghanistan) includes individuals who have traveled to India and visited their temples," Asif asserted. "India aims to initiate a low-level conflict with Pakistan. To do this, they are utilizing Kabul." Regarding Afghanistan's threats and the potential for an assault on Islamabad, Asif warned of severe retaliation. "If Afghanistan even glances toward Islamabad, we will retaliate fiercely. They may use terrorists, and they have already been doing so. For the last four years, they have relied on terrorists," he stated.
"Make no mistake; Kabul is accountable for the terrorism occurring in Pakistan. Kabul is a tool of Delhi. If they choose to attack Islamabad, God forbid, we will respond decisively. A response that is 50 times stronger," the Defence Minister emphasized. Afghanistan's Defence Minister, Mohammad Yaqoob, had previously described Pakistan's claims as "baseless and unreasonable" and emphasized that Afghanistan conducts its relations with India independently. On Saturday, October 25, Pakistan and Afghanistan initiated the second phase of peace talks in Istanbul while Asif warned of potential open conflict should the negotiations fail. The peace discussions, led by mediators from Qatar and Turkey, ultimately fell apart. The immediate cause appeared to be Pakistan's acknowledgment that it has an agreement with the United States for drone operations from its territory, a revelation that sparked outrage from the Afghan side, which demanded guarantees that Pakistan would not permit US drones to infringe upon Afghan airspace.
