Pakistan Defence Minister blames India for Taliban attacks, says truce will collapse soon

Islamabad (The Uttam Hindu): As the Afghan army gains ground amid recent conflicts in Afghanistan, Pakistan has begun attempting to involve India in the situation. Speaking to a local news channel on Wednesday, Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said that trusting the Taliban government is no longer as easy as before. He alleged that the Taliban's policies now appear to be going against Pakistan and that India appears to be behind these decisions.

According to Asif, the Taliban is currently waging an "indirect war" against Pakistan at India's behest. He said that the Taliban's policies and decisions are influenced by New Delhi, which is why the ceasefire between the two countries is not lasting long.

The Defense Minister claimed that terrorist attacks from across the Afghan border into Pakistan have increased significantly in recent months. He stated that terrorist groups continue to target Pakistani security checkpoints, but the Kabul administration has failed to take concrete action to stop them. Asif stated that Pakistan has raised the issue several times through dialogue and diplomatic channels, but the Taliban government has yet to provide a satisfactory response.

He also said that maintaining a ceasefire under the current circumstances appears difficult, as the Taliban appears to be influenced by India in its decisions. Asif added that a shift in Kabul's stance has been observed following the recent visit of Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi to India.

Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have been increasingly strained over the past few months. Islamabad has repeatedly expressed concern about cross-border terrorism and the activities of groups like the TTP. Pakistan says these groups are contributing to instability in its tribal areas.

Analysts believe that this growing tension between the Taliban and Pakistan could impact the security landscape across South Asia. Pakistan's accusations against India are not new. Islamabad has repeatedly claimed that India is trying to expand its influence in Afghanistan, though India has consistently denied these allegations.