Islamabad (Web Desk): Defence Minister Khawaja Asif disclosed that Pakistan has endured the loss of 3,844 lives, including both security personnel and civilians, since the Taliban assumed control of Afghanistan in 2021.
Sharing the figures in a post on X, he said that 10,347 terrorist incidents had occurred in this timeframe, severely undermining Pakistan’s peace and stability. Asif noted that these losses highlight the growing security challenges the country faces despite continuous efforts to pursue diplomacy and dialogue with Kabul.
The minister explained that Pakistan repeatedly sought engagement with the Afghan government, but those overtures met with little success. He detailed that the foreign minister travelled to Kabul four times, while he himself and the DG ISI each made two visits.
Meanwhile, the foreign secretary and Pakistan’s special envoy went to Afghanistan five times apiece, and a joint committee held eight meetings on the evolving security situation.
Asif added that Pakistan had sent 836 formal protest letters and conducted 225 flag meetings with Afghan officials — all in an effort to foster cooperation that never materialised.
Asif added that Afghan Taliban were siding with India and giving refuge to anti-Pakistan groups such as the TTP and BLA, who he said operate from Afghan soil without restriction.
He said that India was using Afghanistan as a proxy to fuel terrorism inside Pakistan.
The minister lamented that despite Pakistan’s decades-long generosity in hosting millions of Afghans, some were now acting against the very country that had sheltered them. He warned that Pakistan would no longer overlook these contradictions or tolerate hostile actions.
Khawaja Asif further urged that Pakistan must abandon its fifty-year-old open-door policy toward Afghan refugees, asserting that the nation’s resources and territory belong to its own citizens.
He demanded the immediate repatriation of all illegal Afghan residents, saying Islamabad would not rely on diplomatic gestures or written protests any longer. “From now on,” he declared, “Pakistan will safeguard its interests through decisive and firm measures.”
In closing, the defence minister emphasised that Afghanistan should now be regarded strictly as a neighbouring state, not as a privileged partner.
He cautioned that any country abetting terrorism would face repercussions, adding that Pakistan’s patience had reached its limit.
“There will be no more appeals or tolerance,” the defence minister said, vowing that Pakistan will ensure the protection of its people through every possible means.