Former Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has publicly admitted Pakistan's track record of backing extremist groups, saying that the nation had suffered greatly from previous policy decisions. His comment comes days after a shocking confession from Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, who has stated that Islamabad had "done the dirty work" for the United States and Western powers for close to three decades.

"It's No Secret That Pakistan Has A History," Said Bilawal

Speaking during an interview with Sky News, Bilawal Bhutto admitted that Pakistan's contribution to supporting terror groups during the Afghan-Soviet war and post-9/11 is part of its history. “As far as what the Defence Minister said, I don’t think it is a secret that Pakistan has a past… As a result, we have suffered,” Bhutto stated. He noted that the nation had experienced "wave after wave of extremism" but said that Pakistan has made serious efforts through domestic reforms and military campaigns to move away from such a legacy.

“It is indeed an unfortunate part of our history, but we have learned our lessons,” Bhutto declared, saying that Pakistan no longer follows such tactics. Referring to the role of Pakistan in arming and training Mujahideen during the Afghan war, Bhutto once again said that the nation was acting along with its Western allies. According to him, the consequences were bad, such as an increase in homegrown terror and the sad assassination of his mother, Benazir Bhutto. “We saw terrorist attacks every other day,” he added.

"We Did The Dirty Work For The US And The West," Said Khawaja Asif

Bhutto's comments come after a blunt admission by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif in an interview. When asked about Pakistan's history of providing funding and training to terror organizations, Asif said, “We have been doing this dirty work for the United States for about three decades… and the West, including Britain.” He termed it a "mistake" which had cost Pakistan heavily, blaming Western intervention during the Afghan jihad and post-9/11 operations. “If we had not joined the war against the Soviet Union and later the war after 9/11, Pakistan’s track record was unimpeachable,” Asif asserted.

Also read: 'We Did Dirty Work For...': Pakistan Defence Minister Admits Supporting Terror Groups In Shocking Confession

With the country's top civilian and military leaders having already acknowledged the country’s dark past in supporting extremist groups, it is potentially a dramatic shift in Islamabad's global narrative in the recent terror strike in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, which killed 26 people. New Delhi has reacted with a series of forceful retaliatory steps ranging from revoking visas for Pakistani citizens, putting on hold the Indus Waters Treaty, and reducing diplomatic interaction with Islamabad.

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