Islamabad, Pakistan – Pakistani Defense Minister Asif Khawaja warned the Taliban regime in Afghanistan that his country would strike “deep inside Afghanistan”
if Afghan territory was used to launch terrorist attacks against his country.
When asked by reporters about the options available to Pakistan
in the event of cross-border attacks from Afghanistan,
the Pakistani Defense Minister said: “We will launch strikes, we will definitely do that.”
This is according to what was reported by the Pakistani newspaper “The Dawn”.
The Pakistani Defense Minister added: “If their territory is used and they violate our territory,
we will certainly penetrate deep into Afghanistan to respond.”
Stressed relationships
Relations between Islamabad and the Afghan Taliban are experiencing an unprecedented level of tension,
following statements by Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif.
Which carried a clear threatening tone towards the ruling regime in Kabul.
This is a clear indication of the deteriorating relations
between the two sides after years of close cooperation.
In a controversial tweet, Asif warned of the potential collapse of
the Taliban regime if it continued with its current policies.
This is a remarkable shift from the friendly stances he previously expressed.
The minister himself was one of the most prominent supporters
of the movement during the Doha talks in 2020 between the Taliban and the United States.
He described the Taliban’s victory at the time as “a victory from God,”
indicating the strength of the relationship between the two sides at that time.
But just four years later, expressions of support turned into threats and criticism.
Origins of stress
The tension stems from Pakistan’s demand that the Taliban government
take decisive action against the Pakistani Taliban (TTP).
Which launches attacks inside Pakistani territory from Afghan border areas.
In contrast, the Taliban maintains that the group’s activities are
“an internal Pakistani matter” that Islamabad should deal with on its own.
In contrast, the Taliban maintains that the group’s activities
are “an internal Pakistani matter” that Islamabad should deal with on its own.
Especially with the increasing attacks targeting Pakistani security forces.
They also point out that the relationship between the two parties has moved
from strategic cooperation to a stage of mistrust and mutual accusations.
From “friendly rhetoric in Doha” to “threatening language on Twitter”,
The current trajectory reflects that politics in the region knows
neither permanent friendships nor eternal enmities,
but rather changing interests that determine the positions and alliances of countries.
