‘Kabul Is Fighting Proxy War For Delhi’: Khawaja Asif Baselessly Blames India For Rising Pakistan-Afghanistan Border Escalation

As tensions flare between Pakistan and Afghanistan, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has sparked controversy with an extraordinary allegation that Kabul is fighting a “proxy war” on behalf of India. Speaking to Geo News, Asif claimed that “decisions of the [Afghan] Taliban are being sponsored by Delhi,” adding that he doubts the fragile ceasefire between the two countries will hold. 

Asif’s comments came shortly after Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi concluded a six-day visit to India, which was officially centred on trade and bilateral cooperation. However, Asif suggested ulterior motives behind the trip, claiming that Muttaqi may have returned from New Delhi with “plans” that influenced the Taliban’s recent actions.

“Right now, Kabul is fighting a proxy war for Delhi,” Asif alleged, asserting that India is using Afghanistan to destabilise Pakistan. The accusation comes despite the Taliban’s repeated denials of acting under any foreign influence and India’s limited diplomatic engagement with the group since its return to power in 2021.

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Ceasefire Under Strain

The minister’s remarks followed a volatile week along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, where deadly exchanges erupted after Pakistani airstrikes reportedly hit targets in Kandahar and Kabul. The violence prompted both nations to agree to a 48-hour ceasefire starting Wednesday at 13:00 GMT.

Each side has accused the other of initiating the ceasefire request. Over the weekend, Afghan officials claimed that Taliban forces had targeted Pakistani military posts in retaliation for repeated border incursions, killing 58 Pakistani soldiers. Pakistan’s military, meanwhile, reported 23 casualties on its side but claimed that over 200 “Taliban and affiliated terrorists” were neutralised in retaliatory operations.

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Amid the escalating rhetoric, Asif warned that Pakistan “has the capability” to respond militarily if provoked further, but also expressed openness to “constructive dialogue” with Kabul. The Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the temporary ceasefire was meant to provide space for diplomacy, stating that both sides would “sincerely strive to find a positive solution to this complex but resolvable issue.” In response, Afghanistan’s Taliban government said on X that its army had been ordered to respect the truce “unless it is violated” by the opposing side.