- Locals’ silence on militants implies tacit consent: Asif.
- Minister vows stronger response to India if provoked.
- Urges Afghans to cooperate in addressing terrorism.
SIALKOT: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has warned that Pakistan’s relations with Afghanistan are deteriorating, cautioning that the current environment could lead to further strain in bilateral ties, something Pakistan does not wish for.
Speaking to Geo News exclusively, the minister said that relations with Afghanistan had never been ideal, adding that terrorism was being exported from Afghan soil into Pakistan.
“Pakistan wanted relations of respect and dignity, just like good neighbours,” he said, urging Afghanistan to cooperate in addressing cross-border terrorism.
Islamabad and Kabul are witnessing heightened tensions amid interim government’s reluctance to act against terrorist groups, operating from Afghan soil, in the backdrop of rising terror attacks in Pakistan.
The country has witnessed a surge in cross-border terror incidents since Taliban rulers returned to Afghanistan in 2021, particularly in the bordering provinces of KP and Balochistan.
The two nations share a porous border spanning around 2,500 kilometres with several crossing points which hold significance as a key element of regional trade and relations between the people across both sides of the fence.
However, the issue of terrorism remains a key issue for Pakistan, which has urged Afghanistan to prevent its soil from being used by groups such as the TTP to carry out attacks inside the former’s territory.
Islamabad’s reservations have also been confirmed by a report submitted to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) by the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team, which has revealed a nexus between Kabul and the TTP, with the former providing logistical, operational, and financial support to the latter.
During today’s interview, Asif added that people living in areas where terrorists find refuge were usually aware of their presence.
“If someone from outside enters a neighbourhood, I would surely know within three days,” he remarked, adding that silence from locals in such cases amounts to partial consent.
Asif asserted that no harm would be allowed to come to patriotic Pakistanis.
Pakistan has hosted Afghans for more than four decades, from the Soviet invasion through the Taliban takeover in 2021. Some refugees were born and raised in Pakistan; others are still waiting for third-country relocation.
According to media reports, following a 2023 crackdown on undocumented Afghans and those exceeding legal status, more than 554,000 Afghans have been returned since April 2025 under Pakistan’s Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan — including around 145,000 in August.
According to security sources, masterminds and facilitators of terrorism are based in Afghanistan and are being supported by India.
Speaking about India, the defence minister said New Delhi’s recent statements indicated it might attempt another misadventure.
He said that India was trying to restore its lost pride after suffering humiliation and warned that Pakistan would respond more forcefully than before. “The misconception or delusion India had has already been dispelled,” he added.
‘Seal the border’
A day earlier, Director-General (DG) Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said Pakistan had engaged Afghanistan through multiple channels, including the United States, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, and the UAE, before and after the Doha Agreement.
“Yet the space given to non-state actors in Afghanistan is not only against Pakistan’s interests but also dangerous for Afghanistan itself,” he said.
He urged the Afghan government to “seal the border” and prevent its territory from being used for attacks on Pakistan.
The DG ISPR noted India was using Afghan soil as a base of operations against Pakistan, with evidence of Indian proxies conducting terror attacks from Afghan territory.
He added that following the US withdrawal, a large cache of American weapons was left behind, much of which ended up in the hands of terrorist groups.
“Afghanistan must ensure that its soil is not used by non-state actors. Pakistan has provided concrete evidence of such activities to the Afghan authorities,” he said.
