Pakistan Defence Minister Warns of Possible War with Afghanistan After Islamabad Suicide Blast

Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif delivered a chilling warning of possible war with Afghanistan in the wake of a devastating suicide bombing in Islamabad on Tuesday that claimed 12 lives and left 36 injured. The Pakistani Taliban (TTP) swiftly claimed responsibility for the attack at the district courts, intensifying tensions as Asif accused the Afghan Taliban regime of actively harboring terrorists and enabling the infiltration of between 2,500 and 3,000 militants into Pakistan over the past year.

Speaking to Geo News, Asif asserted that military strikes on terrorist sanctuaries inside Afghanistan “could not be ruled out” and declared that war with Kabul “could definitely happen.” He dismissed Afghanistan’s official condemnation of the blast as mere “political drama,” pointing out that 55 percent of terrorists killed in recent Pakistani operations were Afghan nationals. He further claimed the Taliban government is fragmented, with various factions pursuing divergent agendas, some allegedly manipulated by external powers.

Asif alleged that the attacks in Islamabad and Wana were orchestrated as precursors to broader aggression, specifically accusing India of waging a proxy war through Afghan soil. “Pakistan will never initiate any military adventure,” he stated firmly, “but we will not let any act of aggression go unanswered; we will respond forcefully and pay back in the same coin.” His remarks underscore a policy of retaliation while stopping short of announcing immediate action.

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Appearing momentarily surprised when a journalist informed him of the TTP’s claim—responding with “Is it?”—Asif later took to X to declare that Pakistan is now in a “state of war.” He urged the nation to view the Islamabad blast as a wake-up call, emphasizing that the conflict extends beyond border regions and Balochistan into the heart of the capital, with the Pakistan Army making daily sacrifices to ensure public safety.

The minister’s aggressive rhetoric marks a critical escalation in Pakistan-Afghanistan relations, already strained by cross-border militancy and mutual distrust. Without presenting concrete evidence of Indian involvement, Asif’s statements risk inflaming regional tensions and complicating diplomatic efforts to contain the growing threat from the TTP and other armed groups operating along the porous Durand Line.

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