ISLAMABAD — Following a series of cross-border attacks and retaliatory strikes, Pakistan’s Defense Minister has declared that his nation is now engaged in “open war” with Afghanistan, marking a dramatic escalation in tensions between the two countries.
Defense Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif took to social media platform X to announce that Pakistan’s tolerance has reached its breaking point. He explained that Pakistan had anticipated peace would come to Afghanistan following the departure of NATO forces, and believed the Taliban would prioritize Afghan citizens’ well-being and regional peace.
However, Asif accused the Taliban of transforming Afghanistan “into a colony of India,” recruiting extremists from across the globe, and engaging in “exporting terrorism.”
“Our patience has now run out. Now it is open war between us,” he stated.
This surge in hostilities between the two nations casts doubt on the stability of a ceasefire agreement that Qatar helped broker. Notably, the Pakistani defense minister made no reference to the existing ceasefire arrangement in his statements.
