Pakistan Defence Minister says ‘era of old relations with Kabul is over,’ urges all afghans to leave
Islamabad: Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Friday launched a strong rebuke against Afghanistan, declaring that all Afghans living in Pakistan must return home and asserting that the “era of old relations” between the two nations has ended.
“All Afghans residing on Pakistani soil must return to their homeland; they now have their own government, their own caliphate in Kabul. Our land and resources belong to 250 million Pakistanis,” Asif said in a post on social media.
The statement came shortly after a 48-hour ceasefire expired at 6 p.m. local time. Although reports indicated that the truce had been extended and that delegations from both sides were expected to meet in Doha, Taliban officials accused Pakistan of conducting airstrikes in multiple districts of Afghanistan’s Paktika province along the Durand Line. Following the airstrikes, a senior Taliban figure told AFP that the truce had been “broken.”
Asif said Pakistan had shown restraint for years despite repeated provocations but could no longer continue the same approach. “Pakistan can no longer afford to maintain relations with Kabul as it did in the past,” he wrote, adding that Islamabad had sent 836 protest notes and 13 demarches to the Afghan authorities over cross-border terror incidents.
“There will no longer be protest notes or appeals for peace; no delegations will go to Kabul,” he said. “Wherever the source of terrorism lies, it will have to pay a heavy price.”
The minister accused the Taliban regime of acting as a “proxy of India” and conspiring with New Delhi and the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to destabilise the country. “The rulers of Kabul, who are now sitting in India’s lap and conspiring against Pakistan, were once under our protection, hiding on our land,” he alleged.
Asif further claimed that Pakistan has faced 10,347 terrorist attacks resulting in 3,844 deaths, including both civilians and security personnel after Taliban’s return to power in 2021.
The minister warned that any aggression from across the border would be met with a “strong and decisive response.” Earlier this week, he had said that Pakistan was ready to fulfil the Taliban’s “wish for war” if the group sought conflict.
Kabul has consistently denied Islamabad’s allegations, maintaining that Afghan soil is not being used to launch attacks against any neighbouring country.
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Amid Epstein files controversy, Bill Gates to skip keynote address at India AI Impact Summit
New Delhi (PTI): Bill Gates will not deliver keynote address at the India AI Impact Summit, Gates Foundation said on Thursday.
In a post on X, Gates Foundation said, "The Gates Foundation will be represented by Ankur Vora, President of Africa and India Offices, who will speak later today at the Summit".
The post said: "After careful consideration, and to ensure the focus remains on the AI Summit's key priorities, Mr. Gates will not be delivering his keynote address."
The Gates Foundation further said it remains fully committed to its work in India to advance shared health and development goals.
