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KABUL – Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has warned that Islamabad may launch a full-scale war against Afghanistan if ongoing peace talks fail, while accusing India of waging a “proxy war” through Kabul. His comments came hours after the second round of peace negotiations began in Istanbul on Saturday, following weeks of deadly cross-border clashes.
“I had a meeting with Afghan officials two hours ago. The results will be clear by tomorrow. If matters are not settled, there will be war. We have the option—if no agreement takes place, we will have an open war with them. But I saw that they want peace,” Asif said in a televised address.
The two neighbors have been locked in a tense standoff since early October, when Pakistan launched airstrikes into Afghanistan’s Khost and Paktika provinces, targeting what it claims are militant hideouts linked to the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The Taliban government in Kabul condemned the strikes as a violation of Afghan sovereignty, and retaliatory shelling by both sides killed dozens of civilians and security personnel.
The escalation forced the closure of major border crossings, including Torkham and Chaman, disrupting trade and humanitarian supply lines. Traders in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir and Balochistan say the border shutdown has triggered a sharp rise in food prices and massive spoilage of perishable goods, especially fruits and vegetables that traditionally come from Afghanistan.
Economic observers warn that if hostilities persist, Pakistan’s inflation-hit economy could face another wave of food shortages and price shocks, further straining relations between the two countries.
The Istanbul talks, mediated by Turkish officials, aim to restore a lasting ceasefire and address Pakistan’s demand that the Taliban curb TTP operations from Afghan soil. Afghan officials have so far rejected the accusations, insisting that the TTP issue is Pakistan’s internal matter.
Meanwhile, Asif’s remarks about India’s alleged involvement risk widening the regional fault lines, as he accused New Delhi of “fueling instability” along Pakistan’s western border through covert support to anti-Pakistan groups.
With peace talks delicately poised, observers warn that even a minor provocation could reignite a conflict that both Islamabad and Kabul can ill afford.
