Updated on: Nov 1, 2025 | 10:04 PM IST

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has once again stirred tensions in South Asia with his latest remarks alleging that India is deliberately keeping Pakistan engaged on both its eastern and western borders. His statement came as Islamabad and Kabul reached a ceasefire agreement following a brief but intense border conflict last month.

Speaking to Geo News on Saturday, Asif claimed that India wanted Pakistan to remain preoccupied on two fronts — the eastern border with India and the western border with Afghanistan. “India seeks to keep Pakistan preoccupied on two fronts: the eastern and the western,” he asserted, alleging that New Delhi has been “waging a proxy war against Pakistan since the Ashraf Ghani era.”

‘India using Afghanistan as a proxy’

Asif reiterated his long-standing accusation that Afghanistan is acting as a proxy for India, suggesting that the Taliban government in Kabul is being manipulated by New Delhi to destabilise Pakistan.

“The people in Kabul pulling the strings and staging the puppet show are being controlled by Delhi,” he claimed, according to Dawn. Asif further alleged that India’s influence over Afghan decision-makers has increased since the fall of the Ghani government, and that it is using that influence to “keep Pakistan distracted and divided.”

“If necessary, we will present proof,” Asif said, maintaining that Pakistan’s intelligence agencies have evidence to support his claim. He also warned that India could “play dirty” during times of heightened tension, noting that Islamabad “cannot rule out” the possibility of Indian involvement in recent border incidents.

Ceasefire after clashes with Afghanistan

Pakistan’s relations with Afghanistan have been under strain following violent clashes last month along the Afghan-Pak border, which left several soldiers dead on both sides. The conflict came just days after Taliban foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi’s visit to India, a coincidence that Asif’s comments appeared to highlight.

However, after days of hostilities, Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed to a ceasefire following peace talks in Istanbul, mediated by Qatar and Turkey. Expressing cautious optimism, Asif said he hoped the mediation “would bring stability” and prevent future escalations.

“The mediation efforts by Qatar and Turkey are welcome, and we hope they will yield positive results,” he said, while noting that “Pakistan remains vigilant” against any attempts to undermine its sovereignty.

Background: Operation Sindoor and regional tensions

Asif’s remarks also referenced Operation Sindoor, the conflict between India and Pakistan in May 2025, which followed the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir. India reportedly conducted precision strikes on terrorist and military infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in response.

The Pakistani minister suggested that India’s actions during Operation Sindoor were part of a broader strategy to “stretch Pakistan militarily and diplomatically.” He also hinted that India could exploit Pakistan’s ongoing tensions with Afghanistan to its advantage.

“Absolutely, you cannot rule it out. There is a clear possibility of this,” Asif said when asked if India might commit a “vile act” during last month’s Afghan border conflict.

‘Two-front war’ warning

This is not the first time Khawaja Asif has spoken about a potential “two-front war”. During earlier confrontations with Kabul, he had warned that Pakistan could face simultaneous challenges from both India and Afghanistan if the situation escalated.

Asif has repeatedly accused the Afghan Taliban of allowing anti-Pakistan militant groups, particularly the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), to operate freely within Afghanistan. The Pakistani government has also alleged that these groups receive indirect support or safe havens from Afghan authorities.

In his latest remarks, the defence minister reinforced those accusations, suggesting that India and Afghanistan are coordinating to destabilise Pakistan. “Afghanistan is acting as India’s proxy. We are aware of their designs, and our forces are fully prepared,” he said.

Ceasefire and regional dynamics

The recent ceasefire between Pakistan and Afghanistan is seen as a fragile truce following weeks of skirmishes and rising tensions. The Istanbul talks, mediated by Qatar and Turkey, are part of broader regional efforts to prevent escalation and maintain stability in the region.

Observers note that Asif’s remarks could complicate the peace process, given their potential to inflame relations not only with Afghanistan but also with India. His comments come at a time when Islamabad is attempting to restore stability along its borders amid economic and political challenges at home.

India’s stance

India has not officially responded to Asif’s latest remarks. However, New Delhi has consistently dismissed similar allegations in the past, maintaining that Pakistan’s security issues are “a result of its own policies of harbouring terrorism”. Indian officials have also accused Islamabad of attempting to divert attention from its internal instability by blaming external actors.

Conclusion

Khawaja Asif’s renewed warning of a “two-front war” underscores Pakistan’s growing anxiety over its strained ties with both India and Afghanistan. While Islamabad and Kabul have agreed to a ceasefire, the Pakistani defence minister’s allegations of India’s involvement add a new layer of complexity to South Asia’s already volatile security environment.

As peace efforts continue under the mediation of Qatar and Turkey, analysts believe that rhetoric from either side could test the durability of the fragile truce — and further entrench mistrust among the three neighbouring countries.