Pakistan’s Defence Minister, Khawaja Asif, has issued a stark warning that an “all-out war” with India cannot be ruled out, stating that the country remains on “full alert” amid worsening regional tensions. 

His remarks, made during an interview with Samaa TV on Tuesday, come at a time when the subcontinent is witnessing renewed hostility and heightened military rhetoric from both sides.

Asif asserted that Pakistan must remain cautious and vigilant, saying that his government neither ignores India nor trusts it “under any circumstances.” Citing his own analysis of the security climate, he said that the possibility of a large-scale conflict could not be discounted given recent developments along the borders and in the wider region.

"I cannot rule out an ALL-OUT WAR or any hostile strategy from India, including border incursions or attacks. We must stay fully alert". said Asif.

He suggested that India could adopt “hostile strategies” including cross-border incursions or indirect attacks, potentially through the Afghan frontier.

His statement came only days after India’s Chief of Army Staff, General Upendra Dwivedi, described “Operation Sindoor” as an “88-hour trailer,” adding that the Indian armed forces were ready to act decisively if provoked.

The general remarked that India would “teach them (Pakistan) how to behave responsibly with a neighbouring nation” if required. The characterisation of the operation as a preview of future readiness has been interpreted by Pakistani analysts as a pointed message directed at Islamabad.

The exchange of sharp statements follows a series of violent incidents in the region. The most recent occurred on 10 November, when a car explosion in New Delhi near the Red Fort killed 15 people.

It was the second major attack in India this year, following the devastating strike in Pahalgam earlier. Both incidents have stoked speculation about cross-border complicity, raising tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

Asif has in recent weeks advanced a more aggressive posture, repeatedly stressing Pakistan’s preparedness for a two-front war. Earlier in November, he declared that Islamabad was ready to confront simultaneous threats emanating from both India and Afghanistan.

Referencing previous conflicts, he said that “Allah helped us in round one, and He will help us in round two,” warning that Pakistan would have “no option but war” if provoked into a “final round.” Such rhetoric echoes a pattern of escalatory statements from the Pakistani defence establishment, which has increasingly linked India’s actions to broader regional instability.

The context of Asif’s remarks lies in Pakistan’s deepening confrontation with Afghanistan. The past month saw heavy fighting between Pakistani forces and the Taliban along the border, leading to significant casualties on both sides. The skirmishes led to a brief diplomatic crisis until a ceasefire was brokered on 19 October through mediation by Turkey and Qatar. Islamabad accused the Taliban government of harbouring anti-Pakistan militants and failing to curb cross-border attacks. In response, Pakistan launched a series of airstrikes inside Afghan territory, triggering fierce retaliatory fire.

The Taliban administration rejected Pakistan’s allegations outright, insisting that Afghan soil was not being used to attack Pakistan and that Kabul did not interfere in the “internal affairs of other nations.” 

This denial has done little to ease tensions, as both sides continue to accuse each other of violations. Amid this chaos, Khawaja Asif has claimed that India is exploiting the situation by fuelling the conflict between Islamabad and Kabul. Pakistani media reports suggest that the defence minister views India as the driving force behind Afghanistan’s confrontational stance.

Speaking to another outlet, Geo News, last month, Asif alleged that decisions taken by the Taliban government were “sponsored by Delhi.” He went as far as to claim that Kabul was now “fighting a proxy war for Delhi,” warning that Pakistan risked being drawn into a two-front conflict—against India to the east and the Taliban to the west.

He maintained that New Delhi did not want peace between Pakistan and Afghanistan and was instead using its influence to destabilise the region for strategic advantage.

Observers note that these remarks reflect Islamabad’s growing insecurity over its regional isolation, economic vulnerability, and strained relations with both of its neighbours. India, for its part, has remained firm on its position that Pakistan must dismantle terror networks operating from its territory. The Indian establishment has largely dismissed Pakistani claims of Indian interference in Afghan affairs as baseless.

Nonetheless, Asif’s comments underscore the fragility of South Asia’s current security environment. With hostile rhetoric intensifying, cross-border incidents increasing, and Afghanistan’s frontier in turmoil, the risk of miscalculation or accidental escalation remains profound.

Both nations possess significant conventional and nuclear capabilities, and experts warn that even limited military exchanges could spiral rapidly out of control.

The latest verbal exchanges therefore mark a dangerous phase in India–Pakistan relations, one shaped not only by mutual distrust but also by shifting regional alliances and domestic political pressures.

As the year draws to a close, the absence of sustained dialogue, combined with parallel instability along Afghanistan’s border, threatens to push the subcontinent into a period of prolonged volatility.