Pakistan’s defense minister says there is now ‘open war’ with Afghanistan after the country’s trade attacks
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Pakistan’s defense minister has said his country has run out of “patience” and considers it now an “open” war with Afghanistan, after both countries launched strikes following an Afghan border attack.
In a post on Friday, Defense Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif said Pakistan hopes for peace in Afghanistan after the withdrawal of NATO troops and expects the Taliban to focus on the welfare of the Afghan people and regional stability.
Instead, he said, the Taliban turned Afghanistan into an “Indian colony,” gathered troops from around the world and began “exporting terrorism.”
Our patience has run out and now there is an open war between us,” he said. There has been no response from Afghan government officials regarding Asif’s comments.
Pakistan often accuses neighboring India of supporting the Baloch Liberation Army and the Pakistani Taliban, allegations New Delhi denies.
There is little chance of the fire being extinguished
The recent escalation of violence between the neighboring countries makes the Qatar-brokered ceasefire seem shaky. Pakistan’s defense minister did not mention the ceasefire.
Asif also accused the Taliban government of denying Afghans basic human rights, including women’s rights which he said are guaranteed under Islam, without providing details or evidence.
He said that Pakistan has tried to maintain stability directly and with friendly countries.
“Today, when attempts are made to target Pakistan with violence, by the grace of God, our soldiers gave a decisive response,” he said.
Airstrikes in Kabul
Afghanistan on Thursday launched a cross-border attack on Pakistan in retaliation for the deadly bombing of Pakistani airstrikes in the Afghan border areas on Sunday.
In the early hours of Friday, Pakistan launched airstrikes in Kabul and two other Afghan provinces. At least three explosions were heard in Kabul, but there was no immediate information about the location of the strikes in the Afghan capital, or if there were any casualties.
Afghanistan government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said that Pakistan has also carried out airstrikes in Kandahar in the south and in the southeastern province of Paktia.
In his book, Asif also said that Pakistan has played a good role in the past fifty years, hosting around five million Afghan refugees. He added that millions of Afghans are still living in the country.
Attacks on migrants
Pakistan began a crackdown in October 2023 to deport undocumented immigrants, urging those in the country to leave of their own free will to avoid arrest and forced deportation and forcibly deporting others. Iran also started cracking down on migrants at the same time.
Since then, millions have streamed across the border into Afghanistan, including people who were born in Pakistan decades ago and have built lives and businesses there.
Last year alone, 2.9 million people returned to Afghanistan, the United Nations refugee agency said, with nearly 80,000 returning so far this year.
