Defence Minister Khawaja Asif Accuses Afghan Government of Supporting TTP Terrorists

Islamabad, Pakistan:Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has stated that the Afghan government is allegedly supporting terrorists of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), emphasizing that Pakistan will target enemies wherever they are located. In an interview with a private TV channel, he shared details from a recent meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security, where Ali Amin Gandapur from PTI was present. Khawaja Asif mentioned that he questioned Gandapur about the source of his complaints.

The Defence Minister further explained that the National Action Plan (NAP) was already in place and efforts were being made to strengthen it. He referred to the past situation where terrorists were repatriated to Pakistan, with the intention of establishing private militias.

Khawaja Asif pointed out that there is a need to address governance shortcomings, adding that the military is providing both internal and external security, while internal security should primarily be the responsibility of the police.

When asked about the political situation, the Defence Minister expressed concerns about PTI’s approach to political stability. He stated that if PTI sets conditions based on personal interests, it would not be in the best interest of the country.

Regarding the previous government’s policies, Khawaja Asif revealed that during the PTI era, officials had been briefed about the supposed benefit of bringing and settling 4,000 to 5,000 people for national interests.

It is noteworthy that during today’s National Security Committee meeting, political and military leadership agreed on a course of action to combat terrorism. PTI boycotted the meeting, but the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Ali Amin Gandapur, represented the province.