Asif accuses Haqqani Network of betrayal, demands clarity on Pakistan support

Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has publicly accused figures linked to the Haqqani Network of betraying decades of Pakistani support and allowing terrorists to operate from Afghan territory against Pakistan.

In a post on X, Asif recalled Pakistan’s backing of Afghan fighters during the Soviet-Afghan war after the 1979 invasion by the Soviet Union. He said Pakistan had stood “wholeheartedly” with Afghan resistance leaders and hosted millions of refugees, many of whom still live and work in Pakistan.

“You were our guests; we extended hospitality to your families,” he wrote. “Millions of those guests are still on Pakistani soil, earning their livelihood.”

Asif said that during the anti-Soviet campaign, both sides had pursued a shared objective shaped by the United States.

Referring to the period after the September 11 attacks in the United States, he said Pakistan supported NATO operations in Afghanistan and acted as a facilitator. However, he said Islamabad was repeatedly accused by Washington of assisting the Haqqani Network.

He challenged Haqqani leaders to clarify publicly whether allegations that Pakistan had provided support to the network were true or false. “You tell the world,” he wrote.

The statement comes amid escalating clashes between Pakistani and Afghan security forces. Pakistan says at least 331 Taliban terrorists have been killed in a major military operation launched after what it described as unprovoked cross-border attacks from Afghanistan.

Asif accused Afghan authorities of providing safe havens to terrorists responsible for attacks inside Pakistan, including violence against civilians and children. He said he had personally raised these concerns during a visit to Kabul and sought assurances that Afghan soil would not be used for hostile activities against Pakistan.

While financial assistance had been discussed, he said no guarantees were provided.

He urged current leaders to uphold the legacy associated with the Haqqani name and called for mutual non-interference between the two neighbours.

“We ask nothing of you. You stay content in your home; we stay content in ours,” he wrote.

“By all means, settle our enemies in your home. But do not join them to play the role of enemy against us. Do not let your land be used against us.”

“Our tradition, culture, and religion teach us that for the home in which we have taken refuge, we wish them well. Allahu Akbar. Pakistan Zindabad. Whether you remember it or not… Made in America Jihad.”