ISTANBUL(Khyber Point) Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif issued a stern warning to the Afghan Taliban on Friday, saying Islamabad will respond “forcefully” if Afghan territory is used to mount attacks against Pakistan. The minister dismissed recent Taliban claims that Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) fighters entering from Afghanistan are merely returning Pakistani refugees, calling the assertion “absurd and illogical.”
In a statement posted on social media, Khawaja Asif questioned how returning refugees could be armed with “extremely destructive weapons” and cross into Pakistan via remote mountain routes rather than ordinary roads, describing such accounts as implausible. He reiterated that Pakistan has repeatedly sought peaceful relations and regional stability but warned that Kabul’s apparent choice of confrontation may force Islamabad to take decisive measures.
Asif referred to previous warnings in which Pakistani officials cautioned the Taliban regime and regional actors about the consequences of allowing anti-Pakistan militants to operate from Afghan soil. “If Afghan territory is used against Pakistan, a robust response will follow,” he stated, underlining Pakistan’s readiness to protect its sovereignty.
While emphasizing Pakistan’s preference for dialogue and peaceful coexistence with its neighbour, the defence minister said Islamabad would not hesitate to act if its security is threatened. He added that Pakistan had tried in good faith to promote tolerance and cooperation among Muslim brother states, but alleged hostile acts from Kabul left Islamabad with limited choices.
Security analysts say the exchange highlights growing tensions along the porous Pakistan-Afghanistan frontier, where militants have exploited rugged terrain. Islamabad’s warning is likely to renew calls for intensified border management and improved intelligence cooperation. Diplomatic sources indicate Islamabad prefers de-escalation but reserves the right to take “all necessary measures” to prevent cross-border terrorism.
Officials in Kabul have not publicly responded to Asif’s latest remarks.
