Pakistan’s Khawaja Asif says Islamabad has ‘completely lost hope’ of resetting ties with Taliban

Pakistan Defence Minister Admits Attempts To Reset Ties Have Failed

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has publicly admitted that Islamabad’s attempts to reset relations with the Taliban regime in Afghanistan have completely failed. He said he personally welcomed the Taliban after they seized Kabul and travelled to Afghanistan several times to stabilise ties, but “none of it brought any benefit or success.”

This comes after Pakistani forces conducted overnight airstrikes inside Afghan territory, hitting civilian areas in Paktika, Khost, and Kunar provinces. The strikes killed at least 10 civilians, including nine children, prompting Afghan authorities to condemn the action as a “direct assault on sovereignty.”

Asif said that Pakistan had expected the Taliban to remain dependent on them, but “the entire equation has reversed.”

“We do react and retaliate, but civilians are not our target at all. We have a disciplined force with traditions and a code of conduct. We are not a ragtag group like the Taliban, who neither have a code of conduct nor religion nor traditions,” Asif told Geo News, responding to questions about Pakistan’s alleged cross-border strikes and civilian casualties.

When asked whether Pakistan was denying both the airstrikes and the reported civilian deaths during recent operations, he replied: “Both things are non-existent at this time.”

Asif said Pakistan has now “completely lost hope” in the Taliban and sees “no scope left for any positive change” from Kabul.

“Hope should always remain unless all limits are crossed,” he said. “But today, we are completely writing them off, and we have no good hope from them.”

Responding to the Taliban’s warning that they would retaliate under Islamic law, Asif questioned the legitimacy of their claim. He asked which version of Islamic law the Afghan Taliban follow, “that requires them to live in their neighbour’s home for decades and then spill blood,” a remark widely interpreted as a pointed reference to Taliban leaders living in Pakistan during the years of insurgency.