ISLAMABAD: Defense Minister Khawaja Asif has voiced serious concerns over Pakistan’s deteriorating relations with Afghanistan, stating that no neighbor can be called a friend if their soil is being used by enemies against Pakistan.
In a sharp critique, Asif said, “How can we call Afghanistan a brother or a friend when their land harbors those who attack us? If someone fires at my house from yours, can you still be my friend?” He added that Pakistan has paid a heavy price for fighting wars that had nothing to do with it. “We became uninvited guardians of Afghanistan, and in return, we got instability.”
He also mentioned that during the recent military escalation with India, the armed forces were fully prepared and successful in shooting down six enemy aircraft. “Contrary to opposition claims, we had both fuel and ammunition,” he said, adding that Pakistan is among the world’s largest exporters of military-grade ammunition.
Asif also criticized the opposition’s “unpatriotic rhetoric” during wartime, calling them “abnormal” and lacking basic national responsibility.
