October 16, 2025

A spicy new twist has fired up tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan! Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has dropped a bombshell, saying the Afghan Taliban are actually "fighting a proxy war" for India. This claim throws cold water on the promising 48-hour ceasefire recently announced between the two neighbouring nations. Asif told Geo News on Wednesday night, "I have my doubts that the ceasefire will hold, because the [Afghan] Taliban are being sponsored by Delhi. Right now, Kabul is fighting a proxy war for Delhi." This bold statement was later shared by Pakistani news outlet Dawn.com on Thursday. The ceasefire was declared on Wednesday after days of fierce border fighting that left dozens dead on both sides. Both Pakistan and Afghanistan say different things about who made the first peace call! According to Zabihullah Mujahid, the Afghan Taliban’s spokesperson, "At the request and insistence of the Pakistani side, a ceasefire between the two countries will be implemented after 5:30 PM today." He added that Afghan forces were told "to observe a ceasefire from 5:30 pm until no one violates it." The ceasefire came hot on the heels of reports that Pakistan carried out air operations targeting Kabul and Kandahar. While exact numbers of casualties are unclear, Mujahid claims Afghan forces inflicted "heavy damage" on Pakistani military positions. The roots of this tension run deep. Islamabad accuses the Taliban in Kabul of sheltering militants from the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), who are blamed for many attacks inside Pakistan. Meanwhile, Afghanistan points fingers at Pakistan for repeated airstrikes and cross-border incursions. The United Nations has stepped in, urging calm and talks. Quoting Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, ANI reported, "We are monitoring the situation between Afghanistan and Pakistan with concern," and called for peaceful dialogue to resolve the conflict. Adding some spice to the story, Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi recently said during a six-day India visit that Afghanistan "wants peace with all countries" and does not seek confrontation. Addressing the border violence, he calmly noted, "Afghanistan also has five other neighbours and all are happy with them." So, will peace hold or will this proxy war explode further? Only time will tell as these fiery neighbours carefully keep their eyes on each other.

Read More at Economictimes →

Tags: Pakistan, Afghanistan, Taliban, Ceasefire, India, Border clashes,