Pakistan’s defence minister Khawaja Asif has admitted that his country has long funded and supported terrorist groups, a statement that strips away decades of denial and lays bare a truth that India has been pointing to for years.
“We have been doing this dirty work for the United States for about three decades, and the West, including Britain,” Asif told the UK’s Sky News in an interview against the backdrop of rising tensions between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack that killed at least 26 people, mostly tourists, at an idyllic meadow in the worst attack of its kind in years in jammu and Kashmir.
His answer came when asked about Pakistan’s role in funding terrorists. He added that the country’s decisions in the past were a “mistake” that led to long-term damage.
“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.
He pointed fingers at global powers.
“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,” he said.
Asif said that the US had itself used terrorists as “proxies” during the Soviet-Afghan war.
India has repeatedly and over the years accused Pakistan of harbouring and aiding terrorist organisations, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, has claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam massacre.
The attack has triggered a strong diplomatic response from India, including the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty. Pakistan has said any attempt to stop the water will be seen as an act of war, and has also announced measures of its own including suspending trade with India and closing its airspace to Indian airlines.
Pakistan’s defence minister warned of potential escalation in the tensions.
“We will measure our response to whatever is initiated by India. It would be a measured response. If there is an all-out attack or something like that, then obviously there will be an all-out war,” he said.
“If things get wrong, there could be a tragic outcome of this confrontation,” he added.
Asked if the world should be concerned, he responded: “Yes, I think so. The clash between two nuclear powers is always worrisome.”
Without offering a shred of evidence, he accused India of staging the Pahalgam attack.
“We could make out that this whole thing was staged to create some sort of a crisis in the region, particularly for us,” he claimed.
Pressed on what he meant, Asif said, “I personally and our government also, in the last two days, have condemned it categorically without any reservation that terrorism in all its forms is something that should be condemned as strongly as possible.”
Asked directly if he blamed India, Asif responded: “Yeah, yeah, yeah. Absolutely. Absolutely, they create these situations.”
In one of the first reactions to Asif’s comments, Punjab health minister Balbir Singh said: “The entire world knows that Pakistan is the mother of terrorism. Most of the terrorists in the world are from Pakistan and are trained there. Now that they have admitted it, it would be better if they changed their ways. India's stand right now is right. All 140 crore Indians are together. The terrorists should be hanged till death.”