Pakistan’s Defence Minister issued a blistering ultimatum to the Afghan Taliban regime on Wednesday, threatening to ‘completely obliterate’ them if terror attacks persist, following the collapse of four-day peace negotiations in Istanbul.
In a series of sharply-worded posts on X (formerly Twitter), Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif declared that after engaging in dialogue at the request of allies, Pakistan’s patience had run out. ‘We have borne your treachery and mockery for too long, but no more,’ he wrote.
Asif warned that any future terrorist attack or suicide bombing originating from Afghanistan would be met with severe retaliation, giving the Taliban a ‘bitter taste of such misadventures.’ He directly challenged the neighbouring administration, stating, ‘Be assured and test our resolve and capabilities, if you wish so, at your own peril and doom.’
The minister asserted that Pakistan would not need to ’employ even a fraction’ of its arsenal to dismantle the Taliban government and ‘push them back to the caves.’ He evoked a past conflict, remarking that a ‘repeat of the scenes of their rout at Tora Bora with their tails between their legs would surely be a spectacle to watch.’
The stark comments came hours after Information Minister Attaullah Tarar officially confirmed the Istanbul discussions between Pakistani and Afghan delegations had concluded without a breakthrough. Tarar stated that despite Pakistan’s ‘evidence-backed counterterrorism demands,’ the dialogue ‘failed to bring about any workable solution.’
While confirming the failure of the talks, Tarar also thanked Qatar, Turkiye, and other friendly nations for their ‘sincere efforts’ to facilitate a diplomatic resolution to the ongoing security crisis.
Asif accused the Taliban leadership of possessing a ‘devious and splintered mindset’ and pushing Afghanistan toward another cycle of conflict simply to ‘preserve their usurped rule.’ He added that the Taliban had gravely ‘misread Pakistan’s resolve and courage.’
Relations between the two nations have deteriorated sharply amid Kabul’s reluctance to take decisive action against militant outfits, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which use Afghan soil to launch attacks on Pakistan.
Tensions escalated dramatically earlier this month after an unprovoked attack on Pakistan by Taliban forces and TTP militants on October 12. In retaliatory self-defence operations, the Pakistan Armed Forces killed over 200 militants, while 23 Pakistani soldiers were martyred in the clashes.