Pakistan warns of “open war” with Afghanistan if talks fail, minister says

Islamabad / Sialkot — Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif warned that an escalation with Afghanistan could follow if ongoing talks between the two countries do not resolve outstanding issues.

Speaking to reporters in Sialkot, Khawaja Asif said Pakistan’s security forces and police were sacrificing their lives to protect the country. “We and you sleep peacefully because your protectors stay awake,” he said, stressing the price being paid to maintain security.

He criticized Afghanistan’s attitude toward Pakistan despite decades of hospitality. “We hosted Afghans for 40 years. Those we were negotiating with in Doha grew up in Pakistan. I don’t understand why, after so much hospitality, Afghanistan is behaving like this toward us,” he said, accusing Afghanistan of acting as a proxy for India against Pakistan.

Read more: Rawalpindi Test: Asif Afridi Takes 5 Wickets on Debut

Khawaja Asif also complained about competition for jobs and business from Afghan migrants, saying: “Afghan refugees have taken over employment and trade.” He called for a single agenda focused on brotherhood and peaceful neighbourly relations, but issued a stark warning: “If talks do not settle matters, then we are in open war with Afghanistan.”

The remarks come as Pakistan and Afghan representatives continue a second round of talks in Turkey to review implementation of agreements reached in Doha. The Doha talks had produced a ceasefire and mutual commitments to respect each other’s borders, points officials from both sides are now assessing in the current meetings.