Pakistan Irked By Taliban Minister’s India Visit; Says ‘Afghans Have Always Been Loyal To India’

<p>Pakistan has voiced strong disapproval over Afghanistan&rsquo;s Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi&rsquo;s visit to India, calling it a diplomatic setback for Islamabad and a signal of deepening India-Taliban engagement. In what appears to be a response, Pakistan has intensified pressure on the Taliban leadership, heightening regional tensions.</p>
<p>During a televised interview, Pakistan&rsquo;s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif remarked that &ldquo;Afghans have historically been loyal to India &mdash; yesterday, today, and tomorrow,&rdquo; underscoring Pakistan&rsquo;s unease over the growing proximity between New Delhi and Kabul. His comments came as Muttaqi&rsquo;s high-profile visit to India &mdash; facilitated after the UN Security Council&rsquo;s sanctions committee temporarily lifted his travel ban &mdash; entered its second week.</p>
<p>Asif also lashed out at previous Pakistani governments for allowing millions of Afghan refugees into Pakistan, claiming such decisions were made under U.S. pressure. His remarks reflect Islamabad&rsquo;s increasingly confrontational stance toward the Taliban regime, which it accuses of harboring militants responsible for attacks inside Pakistan.</p>
<p>Speaking earlier in the National Assembly, Asif warned Kabul, saying, &ldquo;Enough is enough; our patience has run out. Terrorism emanating from Afghan soil will no longer be tolerated.&rdquo; He recalled a visit to Kabul three years ago, during which Pakistani officials urged Taliban leaders to dismantle terror networks operating near the border. Asif alleged that Afghan authorities failed to act and instead sought a &ldquo;financial settlement&rdquo; to allow certain individuals to remain in Afghanistan.</p>
<h3>Pakistan Strikes Afghanistan</h3>
<p>Meanwhile, former U.S. envoy Zalmay Khalilsad criticised Pakistan&rsquo;s recent airstrikes in Kabul, calling them a &ldquo;dangerous escalation.&rdquo; In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he warned that &ldquo;military confrontation will only worsen the crisis,&rdquo; urging both nations to resolve disputes through dialogue.</p>
<p>Khalilzad also accused Islamabad of allegedly backing ISIS-linked factions to counter both the Taliban and Baloch insurgents, while noting that Taliban fighters had recently targeted ISIS operatives inside Pakistan. The mutual accusations have deepened distrust across the Durand Line, threatening to destabilize an already volatile region as both nations struggle with internal unrest and extremist threats.</p>