Pakistan defence minister admits to decade-long support for terrorism

Guwahati, April 25: In a startling revelation, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif admitted that his country has been involved in funding and supporting terrorist organizations for over three decades. Asif, in an interview with a media channel, acknowledged that Pakistan’s role in backing terrorists had been carried out under the direction of the United States and other Western powers, including Britain.

Asif’s candid comments shed light on what has long been considered an open secret—the history of Pakistan’s involvement in terrorism through state-sanctioned proxies.

The Defence Minister candidly remarked, "We have been doing this dirty work for the United States for about three decades, and the West, including Britain," referring to Pakistan’s support for various terrorist groups during the Cold War and post-9/11 conflicts.

The comments were made amid an escalating diplomatic and military standoff between India and Pakistan. Asif explained that Pakistan’s decision to engage in these proxy wars was a significant mistake that has come with dire consequences for the country.

“If we had not joined the war against the Soviet Union, and later on, the war after 9/11, Pakistan’s track record was unimpeachable,” Asif said, alluding to Pakistan’s involvement in both the Afghan-Soviet War of the 1980s and its support for US-led operations following the September 11 attacks.

He went on to criticize the United States for shifting the blame onto Pakistan for the rise of terrorism in the region.

“It was convenient for the big powers to blame Pakistan, which 'fought' the wars on their side in the 80s against the Soviet Union. All these terrorists of today were whining and dining in Washington,” Asif remarked.

He further noted that the US had used terrorist groups as proxies to fight against the Soviet Union during the Cold War, which inadvertently contributed to the current instability.

India, which has long accused Pakistan of supporting terrorist organizations and using them as proxies to destabilize the region, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir, has been vocal about Pakistan’s role in the rise of terrorism.

The recent attack in Pahalgam, claimed by The Resistance Front (TRF)—a proxy of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba—fueled further diplomatic tensions between the two countries. The attack, which left 26 people dead, prompted India to take a series of diplomatic actions, including the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty, and announced that these measures would remain in place until Pakistan "credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism."

Despite earlier claims that Pakistan had no involvement in the Pahalgam terror attack, Asif’s admission regarding Pakistan’s long-standing engagement with terror groups stands in stark contrast.

His statement comes at a time when India and Pakistan’s relationship remains highly volatile, with the risk of further escalation looming large. Asif also cautioned that the current situation could spiral into an “all-out war” between the two nuclear-armed neighbors if tensions continue to rise.