Pakistan Defense Minister: We Are Now Paying the Price for Our Past Policies in Afghanistan
Khawaja Asif, Pakistan’s Defense Minister, said on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference that the current situation in Afghanistan and ongoing border tensions with the Taliban are “the price of Pakistan’s actions in the 1980s and after September 11.”
Isteqamat Press – Asif told Deutsche Welle that Islamabad is now facing the consequences of its extensive support for the Mujahideen against the former Soviet Union, as well as its post-2001 dual-track policy of cooperating with the United States while simultaneously providing sanctuary to the Taliban.
Asif once again accused India of fueling unrest along Pakistan’s western border through its close ties with Kabul, stating that “relations between New Delhi and Kabul are very cordial these days.”
Following deadly border clashes in October 2025, relations between Islamabad and the Taliban have sharply deteriorated. Pakistan has accused the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Baloch separatists of receiving support from Afghanistan and India.
The Taliban have consistently rejected the allegations, insisting that Afghan territory will not be used against any country. Kabul has also maintained that Pakistan’s security challenges stem from internal factors.
In recent months, Kabul has sought to improve relations with India, including a visit by Amir Khan Muttaqi to New Delhi, the elevation of India’s representation in Afghanistan to embassy level, and the deployment of Taliban diplomats to India.
