Defense czar reaffirms decisive measures against cross-border terror

• Kh Asif slams ‘fractured’ Afghan regime, saying Afghan Taliban facing deep internal divisions
• Asserts political and military leadership united on security policy, reiterates commitment to protect citizens from terror

ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Sunday reaffirmed Pakistan’s resolve to take decisive action against cross-border terrorism to safeguard its citizens, asserting that the “unrepresentative Afghan Taliban regime” is deeply fractured and increasingly reliant on external elements.

In a statement posted on X, the defense minister strongly reacted to what he termed a “misleading and malicious” statement by the Afghan Taliban spokesperson, stressing that the Pakistani nation—along with its political and military leadership—stands united on matters of national security and policy toward Afghanistan.

He said the people of Pakistan, particularly those in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, are well aware of the terrorism carried out by Indian-backed proxies operating under the patronage of the Afghan Taliban.

“There is no ambiguity,” Asif said, adding that the Taliban regime continues to oppress women, children, and minorities while depriving the Afghan public of fundamental rights such as freedom of expression, education, and representation.

“Despite the passage of four years, the Afghan Taliban have failed to fulfill the promises made to the international community,” he continued. “They are merely spinning narratives and using rhetoric to conceal their internal divisions and governance failures while acting as a proxy for external elements—particularly India.”