Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Tuesday warned that Pakistan could conduct strikes inside Afghanistan following recent terrorist attacks in Islamabad and South Waziristan, accusing the Afghan Taliban regime of sheltering militants responsible for the violence.
Speaking on Geo News’ programme Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath, Asif said that cross-border action “could not be ruled out” after the two attacks targeting Cadet College Wana and the federal capital.
Rejecting Kabul’s condemnation of the incidents, he said expressions of regret were not proof of sincerity, stressing that militants sheltered by the Afghan Taliban were repeatedly attacking Pakistan.
The defence minister warned both India and Afghanistan against any misadventure, saying Pakistan would “pay back in the same coin,” while assuring that the country would never initiate aggression but would respond firmly to any act of hostility.
At least 12 people were martyred and over 30 injured in the Islamabad suicide blast, which marked the first such attack in the capital in three years. Asif reiterated that Pakistan was in a state of war and that the recent attack should serve as a wake-up call to those who believed the fight against terrorism was confined to border areas.
Calling the struggle a “war for all of Pakistan,” Asif lauded the armed forces for providing a sense of security through their sacrifices. He expressed skepticism over future negotiations with the Afghan Taliban, stating that Kabul’s leadership could stop terrorism but appeared unwilling to do so.
Speaking to journalists later, Asif said the Islamabad attack was intended as a message that “all your areas are within our reach.” He vowed that Pakistan would not tolerate terrorism anywhere, reaffirming Islamabad’s resolve to respond decisively to cross-border threats.
