Pakistan Accuses Taliban of Fighting India's Proxy War Amid Fragile Afghanistan Ceasefire

Pakistan, a country with an established history of harboring terrorism within its borders, has leveled accusations against Afghanistan's Taliban government, claiming they are "fighting a proxy war" for India. While a 48-hour ceasefire was recently negotiated between Islamabad and Kabul, Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has made the extraordinary claim that India is "sponsoring" Afghan Taliban actions, despite India's consistent and firm stance against terrorism over the years.

In his interview with Geo News, Asif expressed skepticism about the ceasefire's durability, stating, "I have my doubts that the ceasefire will hold, because the decisions of the [Afghan] Taliban are being sponsored by Delhi."

He further alleged, "Right now, Kabul is fighting a proxy war for Delhi."

Asif also insinuated that the Taliban's Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, had formulated certain undisclosed "plans" during his recent six-day visit to India, although officially, Muttaqi's Delhi visit focused on trade relations and bilateral cooperation.

The 48-hour ceasefire between Afghanistan and Pakistan came into effect late Wednesday, following deadly cross-border confrontations that claimed numerous military and civilian lives earlier that day. The truce began at 6:00 pm Islamabad time after announcements from both nations, with each claiming the other had requested the cessation of hostilities.

Pakistan indicated that the ceasefire was intended to last 48 hours, with its Ministry of Foreign Affairs stating, "During this period, both sides will sincerely strive to find a positive solution to this complex but resolvable issue through constructive dialogue."

From Kabul, the Taliban government announced on social platform X that it had instructed the Afghan army to respect the truce "unless it is violated" by Pakistan.

This temporary cessation of hostilities followed a week of escalating violence between the neighboring countries. The Taliban had initiated military operations along portions of its southern border with Pakistan, prompting Islamabad to pledge a forceful response. Pakistan has accused Afghanistan of providing safe haven to terrorist organizations led by the Pakistani Taliban (TTP), an allegation that Kabul firmly denies.