Pakistan’s top defense official has dropped a bombshell, admitting his nation played the part of hired guns in Afghanistan’s prolonged conflicts. Defense Minister Khawaja Asif made the disclosure in Pakistan’s national assembly, shortly after a deadly suicide attack rocked the capital, prompting a broader discussion on the country’s fraught history with its neighbor.
Describing Pakistan’s 22-year immersion in Afghan affairs as mercenary service to Western powers, Asif dismantled the myth of ideological commitment. He revealed that decisions to back various factions were calculated moves to curry favor with the US, devoid of deeper religious or moral imperatives. This comes at a time when Islamabad is reviewing its Afghan strategy amid escalating internal threats.
The statement has drawn sharp reactions. Afghan diaspora reports, citing Tolo News, point to parallel accusations from Pakistan’s interior ministry and social media analyses, illustrating Islamabad’s struggle to reconcile past interventions with current crises. Former diplomat Aziz Marek dismissed it as an evasion tactic, insisting economic incentives drove Pakistan’s meddling more than any sense of duty.
Asif didn’t mince words about his disappointment with post-Taliban Afghanistan. Once a listener to Pakistan’s security pleas, Kabul now hesitates on counter-terrorism pledges, straining bilateral relations. Pakistan had banked on the militants’ victory to stabilize its frontier, a bet that appears to have backfired spectacularly.
Expert Kazim Jafari called this the starkest policy mea culpa from a Pakistani cabinet member, highlighting paradoxes in Islamabad’s stance—acknowledging errors while offloading responsibility onto Afghanistan. ‘These remarks illuminate Pakistan’s soul-searching but also fresh efforts to burden Kabul with blame,’ he observed.
With terrorism incidents surging, Asif’s forthrightness could signal a policy recalibration. Yet skeptics wonder if it’s genuine reflection or political theater designed to rally domestic support. The revelation reshapes narratives around South Asian geopolitics, demanding closer scrutiny of Pakistan’s regional playbook.