Pakistan’s Khawaja Asif accuses the Taliban of acting at India’s behest

Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has alleged that the Taliban regime in Afghanistan was repeatedly backtracking from a peace deal with his country at the behest of India. Lashing out at the Taliban regime in Kabul for repeatedly withdrawing the agreement whenever a consensus was reached, Asif alleged that the Taliban authorities staging the “puppet show” are being controlled by New Delhi.

"I would complement their delegation, but the people in Kabul pulling the strings and staging the puppet show are being controlled by Delhi," Asif told Geo News, reported NDTV.

‘Pak-Afghan talks sabotaged’

The Pakistani Defence Minister further alleged that whenever Pakistan and Afghanistan are close to reaching a peace deal, the Afghan negotiators report to Kabul, and the agreement gets withdrawn with the intervention of the Taliban regime.

Also Read: After warning to Kabul, Khawaja Asif leads Doha talks with Afghan Taliban

"Whenever we got close to an agreement, either in the last four days or last week, when negotiators reported to Kabul, then there was intervention and the agreement was withdrawn," said Asif, as quoted by The Dawn.

"I believe that the negotiations were sabotaged. We had an agreement, but then they called Kabul and backpedalled from the deal,” he added.

‘India using Taliban against Pakistan’

Although Asif praised the Afghan negotiators for being cooperative, he slammed the Taliban leadership in Kabul, accusing them of acting at India’s behest.

"India is compensating for its defeat on their western border through Kabul. The junta there (in Afghanistan) has elements that have visited India and visited their temples," said Asif. "India wants to engage in a low-intensity war with Pakistan. To achieve this, they are using Kabul,” he added, reported NDTV.

Also Read: Khawaja Asif warns Afghanistan of ‘heavy price’ for terror

Asif warned Afghanistan of a “50-times stronger response” if it tries to attack Pakistan.

"If Afghanistan even looks at Islamabad, we will gouge their eyes out. They can employ terrorists, and they already are. Over the past four years, they have been using terrorists," he said.

‘Kabul a tool for Delhi’

"There should be no doubt that Kabul is responsible for the terrorism in Pakistan. Kabul is a tool for Delhi. If they want to, God forbid, attack Islamabad, we will give a befitting response. A response 50 times stronger," added Asif.

Also Read: India could ‘play dirty’ at border, says Pak as it readies for two-front war

Earlier, Afghanistan's Defence Minister, Mohammad Yaqoob, had dismissed Asif’s claim as "unfounded and illogical", stating that Kabul’s ties with New Delhi are determined by its national interest.

The backdrop

Asif’s allegations come after the peace talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan held in Istanbul collapsed. The talks were mediated by Qatar and Turkey.

According to an NDTV report, the key reason behind the talks failing was Pakistan’s refusal to accept Kabul’s demand, not allowing the US to conduct drone operations in Afghan airspace from Pakistani territory.