Pakistan Accuses India of Backing Afghanistan-Based Militants

DID Press: Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif alleged that India is supporting militant groups operating on Afghanistan soil to destabilize Pakistan, warning that New Delhi may even consider cross-border military action. He said Islamabad “cannot ignore” recent remarks by India’s army chief, adding that Pakistan faces the possibility of confrontation on “two fronts.”

Speaking to Pakistan’s Samaa TV, Asif said Afghanistan has become a safe haven for militants and that cross-border infiltration poses a serious threat to Pakistan’s security. He claimed India is involved in facilitating such movements and noted that several countries — including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, and China — have expressed concern and want an end to these border tensions.

According to the defense minister, India has no interest in seeing improved relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan, and despite its aggressive rhetoric, New Delhi is unwilling to take the risk of direct war. He argued that India’s past military experiences have been “humiliating,” limiting its appetite for offensive action.

Asif also stressed that militant hideouts inside Afghanistan must be dismantled, saying Pakistan continues to face challenges arising from cross-border infiltration and the presence of armed groups in the neighboring country.