In a significant and unprecedented admission, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has openly acknowledged his country’s long-standing involvement in supporting, funding, and training terrorist groups.

In a widely circulated interview with Sky News journalist Yalda Hakim, Asif responded to direct questioning about Pakistan’s history of backing terror organisations by stating, “We have been doing this dirty work for the United States for about three decades... and the West, including Britain... That was a mistake, and we suffered for that, and that is why you are saying this to me. If we had not joined the war against the Soviet Union and later on the war after 9/11, Pakistan's track record was unimpeachable”.

This candid confession comes in the immediate aftermath of the devastating terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22, 2025, which resulted in the deaths of at least 26 Indian nationals, most of whom were tourists, and left many others injured. The attack has led to a sharp escalation in diplomatic tensions between India and Pakistan, with India attributing the attack to cross-border terrorism facilitated by Pakistan.

In response to the attack and Asif’s admission, India has implemented a series of strong diplomatic and strategic measures. These include the closure of the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Attari, suspension of the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme for Pakistani nationals (with a 40-hour deadline for their return), and a reduction in the number of diplomatic staff in both countries’ High Commissions. Additionally, 

India has suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, a key water-sharing agreement with Pakistan that has been in place since 1960.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing the nation, vowed that those responsible for the Pahalgam attack and their conspirators would face severe consequences, emphasising that the time had come to dismantle the remaining strongholds of terrorism. He assured the public that the collective willpower of 140 crore Indians would now be directed toward breaking the backbone of terrorism.

Asif’s admission has been widely interpreted as validation of India’s longstanding claims at international forums regarding Pakistan’s role in fostering terrorism in South Asia. The Defence Minister’s remarks also included a warning about the possibility of an “all-out war” with India, underscoring the grave risks posed by the current escalation.

This episode marks a rare and explicit acknowledgment by a senior Pakistani official of the country’s involvement in international terrorism, primarily as an extension of foreign policy objectives aligned with the United States and its allies during the Cold War and the post-9/11 era.

While Pakistani officials have since attempted to deflect responsibility by accusing India of supporting separatist movements within Pakistan, Asif’s statements have already sent shockwaves through diplomatic circles and further strained bilateral relations.

ANI