ISLAMABAD — Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has delivered a sharp warning to the Taliban leadership in Kabul after talks between the two sides fell apart in Istanbul amid days of border skirmishes. Asif told the Afghan rulers that any attempt to challenge Islamabad would be “at your own peril and doom,” writing on X.
Asif accused the Taliban of provoking fresh conflict to hold on to power, saying Pakistan has endured “treachery and mockery” for too long. He warned that any terrorist act or suicide attack on Pakistani soil would provoke a harsh response and urged the Taliban not to misjudge Pakistan’s capabilities.
The minister said Islamabad entered negotiations at the behest of friendly countries and to give peace a chance, but criticised hostile remarks by some Afghan officials as evidence of a fractured and dangerous mindset within the Taliban regime. He added that Pakistan would not need to use its full military strength to counter threats and suggested it could force the militants into hiding, comparing potential operations to the rout at Tora Bora.
Asif also charged the Taliban with sustaining a “war economy” and deliberately steering Afghanistan back into conflict to preserve their rule. He said, however, that if the Afghan leadership is determined to bring further suffering to Afghanistan and its people, Pakistan will respond decisively.
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