Khawaja Asif calls Kabul India’s puppet, vows revenge
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif warned Kabul’s alleged alignment with Delhi could trigger Pakistan’s retaliation, fiftyfold, if directly attacked.
Khawaja Asif Accuses Kabul of Being India’s Puppet After Peace Talks Collapse
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has launched a fierce attack on Afghanistan’s leadership, accusing Kabul of acting as a “tool for Delhi” and warning that any strike against Pakistan would be met with a response “50 times stronger.” His remarks come amid the collapse of fragile peace talks between the two neighbours — negotiations that had briefly raised hopes of reducing tensions after weeks of deadly border clashes.
Speaking on Geo News’ primetime show Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Ke Saath, Asif didn’t mince words. He accused Afghan authorities of being under India’s influence and sabotaging dialogue that could have restored calm along the Pakistan-Afghanistan frontier. “The people in Kabul pulling the strings and staging the puppet show are being controlled by Delhi,” Asif said, alleging that India was using Afghanistan to compensate for what he described as “its defeat on the western border.”
The statement, reported by Dawn, comes just days after the latest round of peace talks — held in Turkey and co-facilitated by Qatar — ended without agreement. The discussions, which began on Saturday and stretched through Monday, had aimed to find common ground on key issues, including cross-border militancy and trade disruptions. However, by the end of the third day, negotiators from both sides had failed to produce any breakthrough.
Asif claimed the talks collapsed after “four or five reversals” by the Afghan side. He said he believed certain “power brokers” in the Afghan capital were deliberately undermining progress under India’s direction.
While he commended the Afghan negotiators for their professionalism, Asif accused Kabul’s leadership of letting external actors dictate policy. “To achieve this, they are using Kabul.”
Diplomatic sources cited by Dawn said the main sticking point in the talks was Islamabad’s insistence on verifiable action against the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) — a militant group Pakistan claims operates freely from Afghan territory. The Afghan government, however, has denied providing sanctuary to the group, saying it does not allow its soil to be used against any country.
The failed talks mark another setback in a relationship already strained by frequent cross-border skirmishes and mutual distrust. Earlier this month, fierce fighting between Pakistani and Afghan forces led to dozens of deaths on both sides, including soldiers and civilians. The clashes created what observers described as a “near war-like situation” along the frontier.
Peace was temporarily restored on October 19 after emergency discussions — facilitated by Turkey and Qatar — brought about a short-lived truce. However, the collapse of the latest round of negotiations appears to have reignited tensions.
Officials involved in the talks told Dawn that despite initial progress on several issues, the two sides could not agree on how to ensure transparency in anti-terror measures.
Regional analysts say Asif’s remarks could further harden positions on both sides. Pakistan views the TTP as an existential threat and has repeatedly accused Afghanistan’s Taliban government of failing to act against the group. Kabul, in turn, has accused Islamabad of conducting unauthorized strikes and violating its airspace.
For now, diplomatic channels remain open, with Turkey and Qatar reportedly urging both nations to maintain dialogue. But Asif’s fiery comments — including his vow that Pakistan’s retaliation would be “fifty times stronger” if attacked — have underscored just how fragile the peace remains between the two uneasy neighbours.