Pakistan Warns Afghanistan: Defense Minister Asif Declares Zero Tolerance for Cross-Border Terrorism

Pakistan has frequently been accused of supporting and financing terrorist organizations operating within its borders.

Pakistan's Defense Minister Khawaja Asif recently announced plans to dispatch a delegation to Afghanistan with a firm message that Islamabad will no longer tolerate cross-border terrorism from Afghan territory. Speaking before Pakistan's National Assembly, Asif emphasized that Pakistan has exhausted its patience regarding the continued use of Afghan soil by terrorists targeting Pakistani interests, according to Dawn news reports.

The Defense Minister called for a collective response against those harboring terrorists, whether inside Pakistani territory or in Afghanistan, and cautioned the Taliban government that failure to control terrorism could result in significant collateral damage.

"Enough is enough. Our patience has limits. Those who shelter or facilitate terrorists -- whether in Pakistan or Afghanistan -- will face the consequences," Asif declared, issuing warnings to both Kabul and those within Pakistan who support terrorist activities.

Asif revealed that during his visit to Afghanistan three years ago, the Taliban administration had requested 10 billion Pakistani rupees to relocate Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants from border regions to other parts of Afghanistan. However, he noted that even with this financial assistance, they offered no guarantees regarding the cessation of terror attacks on Pakistani soil.

This stern warning follows a series of terrorist incidents in Pakistan's tribal areas that have resulted in the deaths of numerous armed forces personnel in recent months.

Pakistan has historically been implicated in supporting and nurturing terrorist organizations within its borders. Groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) were subsequently utilized to execute terrorist operations against India.

Following Operation Sindoor in May, a video clip circulated widely showing Asif acknowledging Pakistan's historical involvement with terrorism. In an interview with Sky News's Yalda Hakim, the minister stated, "We have been doing this dirty work for the United States for about three decades... and the West, including Britain... That was a mistake, and we suffered for that, and that is why you are saying this to me. If we had not joined the war against the Soviet Union and later on the war after 9/11, Pakistan's track record was unimpeachable."

Additionally, former Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto later confirmed the country's connections to terrorist operatives, acknowledging that "Pakistan has a past." Speaking with Hakim, Bhutto remarked, "As far as what the defence minister said, I don't think it is a secret that Pakistan has a past... As a result, we have suffered; Pakistan has suffered. We have gone through wave after wave of extremism. But as a result of what we suffered, we also learnt our lessons. We have gone through internal reforms to address this problem..."

"As far as Pakistan's history is concerned, it is history, and it is not something that we are partaking in today. It is true that it is an unfortunate part of our history," he added.