Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has publicly accused India of aiming to keep Pakistan "busy" and engaged simultaneously on its western and eastern fronts.

This assertion was made amid rising regional tensions, including the recent ceasefire agreement between Pakistan and Afghanistan following border clashes last month.​

Asif alleges that India is conducting a "proxy war" against Pakistan from Afghanistan and seeks to destabilise Pakistan by engaging it on two fronts—the east, where India and Pakistan had a limited conflict in May 2025, and the west, along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

He stated that India has faced setbacks on the eastern front following the May conflict and that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been notably silent since.​

The May 2025 conflict, referred to as Operation Sindoor by India, was a retaliation against terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir attributed to Pakistan-based groups. Following intense hostilities and devastating missile strikes by India, a ceasefire was pleaded by Pakistan after the intense pounding by India. However, Pakistan continues to accuse India of repeat provocations and terrorism support.​

Asif further expressed optimism about the peace efforts between Pakistan and Afghanistan, mediated by Qatar and Turkey, which resulted in a ceasefire in October 2025 and an agreement to continue talks to ensure peace and introduce monitoring mechanisms. Despite this, he blamed India for continuing to act "through proxies" in Afghanistan and influencing Kabul against Pakistan.​

The Pakistani Defence Minister also referenced an incident where a Pakistani fisherman was allegedly arrested and coerced by Indian intelligence, underscoring continued espionage and intelligence confrontations between the two countries.​

In response to remarks by the Afghan Taliban spokesperson about deporting individuals deemed security threats, Pakistan's information ministry rejected claims and emphasised a firm, unified stance within Pakistan’s political and military leadership on maintaining its security policies and comprehensive approach toward Afghanistan.​

From an Indian perspective, these statements by Khawaja Asif reflect Pakistan's ongoing narrative of externalising regional insecurities onto India, particularly spotlighting the India-Afghanistan-Pakistan triangle.

India maintains that its actions, including Operation Sindoor, are counterterrorism measures and that it seeks peace and stability in the region. The continuing dialogues and ceasefires indicate some mutual interest in de-escalation, though mistrust and strategic rivalry remain acute.

Asif’s claims underscore Pakistan's perception of a dual-threat scenario orchestrated by India, seeking to keep it strategically engaged and constrained on multiple fronts. The regional security dynamics remain complex with overlapping conflicts and fragile ceasefires that are yet to translate into lasting peace.​

Agencies