The United States has remained tight-lipped following Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif’s shocking admission that Pakistan had funded and backed terror groups at the behest of Western powers, including the US and UK. During a press briefing on Tuesday, US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce was asked directly about the Trump administration’s response to the claim.

Bruce responded cautiously: “The Secretary of State will speak with the foreign ministers of both countries. We’re also monitoring the developments across the board in that region. We, of course, are encouraging all parties to work together for a responsible solution. The world is watching this, but I have no additional details in that regard.”

Khawaja Asif’s Admission Sparks Global Concern

Khawaja Asif’s remark came during an interview with Sky News, where he was asked whether Pakistan had a history of supporting terror groups. Asif openly stated, “We have been doing this dirty work for the US for the past three decades, including the West and the United Kingdom.” Though he called the policy a “mistake” and acknowledged that Pakistan had “suffered because of that,” the admission drew immediate international attention. 

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India’s Response: Total Operational Freedom To Forces

The controversy comes amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan following the April 22 terror attack in Kashmir’s Pahalgam. In the deadliest assault since the 2019 Pulwama bombing, 26 people were killed after terrorists opened fire. The Resistance Front (TRF), widely believed to be a proxy for the Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), claimed responsibility.

In response, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level defence meeting on Monday, giving a clear directive to the country’s armed forces: complete operational freedom. The meeting was attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, and Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan.

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