Pakistan’s Defense Minister: We will strike deep into Afghanistan if needed.
In his latest statements, Khawaja Mohammad Asif said that if our borders are violated or attacked, we will retaliate, and if we find the need to attack inside Afghanistan, we will do so.
The Pakistani Defense Minister’s serial threatening statements against the Afghan Taliban are being made at a time when the talks between the two countries in Istanbul have failed, and reports indicate that the Pakistani delegation is trying to return to their country.
Some other Pakistani sources also claim that the Afghan Taliban delegation is still present in Istanbul, and efforts are being made to hold another round of talks with the role of mediators despite the recent failure of these talks.
Informed sources said hours ago: The Pakistani delegation, which was ready to return from Turkey, decided not to go at the insistence of the host. This development occurred in the early hours of this morning (Thursday) and after the Afghan side indicated that it was “revising” its position.
The Pakistani Defense Minister, who accused India of interfering in the failure of the talks with the Afghan Taliban yesterday, now said: Our work with the Taliban delegation ended yesterday, and it became clear to the mediators that the Taliban is not behaving honestly.
He claimed: Afghan territory is being used against Pakistan, and if it is repeated, Pakistan will respond.
The Pakistani Defense Minister said that the Taliban accepts all our demands and considerations but is not willing to give a written guarantee.
The Pakistani Information Minister announced yesterday (Wednesday) that the talks with Afghanistan have failed to lead to a practical solution and that Islamabad will take all necessary measures to protect its people.
So far, the mediating parties, namely Qatari and Turkish officials, have not made any official comments on the fate of the Kabul and Islamabad talks, while the UN has expressed its concern about the failure of these talks.
In response to the impasse in the Istanbul talks, Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, said: We hope that the war between Pakistan and Afghanistan will not resume.
According to IRNA, the Istanbul meeting is the second round of talks between Islamabad and Kabul after the Doha meeting, where Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban reached a ceasefire agreement after weeks of violent clashes.
Given the impasse during the Istanbul talks, some reports indicate that Pakistani security forces are ready along the border with Afghanistan, and it is said that an escalation of the situation on the borders of the two countries is not out of the question.