Pak’s efforts to reset ties with Kabul ‘failed completely’, says Khawaja Asif, calls Taliban a ‘ragtag’ group

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said that Islamabad’s attempts to reset ties with the Taliban regime in Afghanistan have completely failed. Tensions between Islamabad and Kabul escalated on Tuesday after the Taliban vowed to “respond appropriately” to a series of overnight border strikes that left 10 people dead and blamed Pakistan for the deaths. The strikes were launched even when the ceasefire brokered by Qatar and Turkey was still in place. Asif dismissed the accusations of the Afghan Taliban that Pakistan had carried out strikes inside Afghanistan and targeted civilians. “As a state, we do retaliate when required, but we never target civilians,” he said, adding “One should hope for good and not write off another until limits are crossed. But now, we are completely writing them off, and we do not expect anything good from them.”

Pakistan has witnessed a sharp rise in terrorism since 2021, the year that the Taliban took control of Afghanistan. The ties between the neighbours have strained further since October, when the two sides engaged in clashes.

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‘Taliban neither have a code of conduct nor religion nor traditions’

Asif said, “It will be folly to trust them [Afghan Taliban]. We have tried to remain civil with them…but they’ve not repaid how one should to the soil that’s provided home to two of their generations”.

Asif said that Pakistan had expected the Taliban to remain dependent on them, but “the entire equation has reversed.”

“We do react and retaliate, but civilians are not our target at all. We have a disciplined force with traditions and a code of conduct. We are not a ragtag group like the Taliban, who neither have a code of conduct nor religion nor traditions,” Asif told Pakistan-based Geo News.

Asif said he personally welcomed the Taliban after they seized Kabul and travelled to Afghanistan several times to stabilise ties, but “none of it brought any benefit or success.”

“I don’t think we have gained any dividends, successes, or changes in their behaviour from these visits; there has been no change in their attitude.”

Asif said Pakistan had long exercised restraint and hoped for constructive engagement, but those expectations had now diminished.

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Afghan condemns strikes as ‘direct assault’ on sovereignty

Pakistani forces conducted overnight airstrikes inside Afghan territory, hitting civilian areas in Paktika, Khost, and Kunar provinces. The strikes killed at least 10 civilians, including nine children, prompting Afghan authorities to condemn the action as a “direct assault on sovereignty.”

Afghan Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in posts on X that Islamabad attacked several areas in Khost, Kunar and Paktika provinces near the border and said that Kabul will respond as needed.

Mustaghfir Gurbuz, a spokesman for the governor of Khost, claimed the strikes were carried out by drones and aircraft.

“The Islamic Emirate strongly condemns this violation and reiterates that defending its airspace, territory, and people is its legitimate right, and it will respond appropriately at the right time,” Mujahid said in a statement.