Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has unleashed a fierce attack on Afghanistan, accusing Kabul of serving as an instrument for India and warning of an overwhelming military retaliation if Afghanistan dares to strike Pakistan. His remarks came after the latest round of peace talks between Islamabad and Kabul collapsed, deepening tensions between the two neighbours.
In an appearance on Geo News, Asif accused Afghanistan’s leadership of being manipulated by New Delhi, describing the Afghan government as “a puppet show directed by Delhi.” He argued that India was using Afghanistan as a proxy to destabilise Pakistan and compensate for its own failures along their shared borders. Asif said that during peace talks in Turkey, the Afghan negotiators initially showed progress but repeatedly withdrew from near-agreements after consulting Kabul. He accused the Indian influence of derailing the discussions each time.
Asif further charged that India’s objective was to engage Pakistan in a prolonged, low-intensity conflict through Afghan territory. According to him, the failure of the talks demonstrated India’s growing sway in Kabul. He added that if Afghanistan made any hostile move, Pakistan would retaliate with overwhelming force, declaring, “If Afghanistan even looks at Islamabad, we will gouge their eyes out.” The minister maintained that Kabul bore direct responsibility for terrorist attacks inside Pakistan, accusing it of harbouring the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
The peace talks, brokered by Turkey and Qatar, lasted three days but ended without resolution. The main sticking point was Pakistan’s demand for verifiable action against militant groups operating from Afghan soil. Although mediators described the continued dialogue as positive, Islamabad’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said Kabul repeatedly dodged the central issue and engaged in “deflection and blame games.”
Officials from both sides confirmed that despite partial agreement on several points, no final accord was reached. The failure followed weeks of deadly cross-border clashes that left soldiers and civilians dead, prompting international concern about a potential escalation into full-scale war. While the ceasefire brokered in Doha on October 19 provided a temporary pause in violence, the breakdown of the Istanbul talks now threatens to plunge the region back into instability.
The Pakistani government has since hardened its stance, demanding that Kabul rein in militant activity or face severe consequences. Meanwhile, Afghan officials have accused Islamabad of external interference, further heightening regional tensions.
