ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has once again called on Afghanistan to take action against militant hideouts operating from its soil, warning that Pakistan will no longer tolerate terror sanctuaries across the border.
Speaking in the National Assembly on Thursday, Asif said that Pakistan has repeatedly raised the issue with Afghan authorities over the past few years. He recalled visiting Afghanistan three years ago along with senior security officials, where they informed Kabul that militants were using Afghan territory to plan attacks against Pakistan.
“We told them that around 6,000 to 7,000 people living in Afghanistan were a threat to us,” Asif said, adding that Afghan officials even proposed a financial deal to keep those militants there. “We asked for guarantees that these people wouldn’t return to Pakistan, but they refused to give assurances,” he added.
The defence minister said that despite multiple meetings, Pakistan has seen no serious action from Kabul. Referring to recent attacks on Pakistani security personnel, Asif said the situation has now reached a breaking point. He suggested sending a high-level delegation to Kabul immediately to convey Pakistan’s strong stance, saying, “This situation is unbearable; we cannot stay silent anymore.”
Khawaja Asif also expressed frustration over the decades-long presence of Afghan refugees in Pakistan, saying that while many have prospered here, some continue to show allegiance to the Taliban.
Warning that Pakistan’s patience has run out, Asif said the country must stand united against terrorism. “We will respond to anyone who shelters terrorists,” he declared. “Enough is enough, our patience is over.”
He urged all political parties to stand firmly with the armed forces and the nation, saying there should be no confusion about supporting Pakistan in its fight against terrorism.
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