New Delhi— India on Thursday strongly criticised Pakistan for escalating tensions along the Afghanistan border, describing Islamabad’s cross-border activities as “unacceptable” and reflective of its continued tolerance for terrorism.
During the weekly media briefing, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Pakistan appeared “infuriated” with Afghanistan for asserting control over its own territories. “Pakistan seems to think it has the right to practise cross-border terrorism with impunity. Its neighbours find it unacceptable. India remains fully committed to the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence of Afghanistan,” Jaiswal stated.
The MEA’s remarks follow heightened hostilities between Pakistan and Afghanistan after the breakdown of peace talks held in Turkey earlier this week. The two nations have exchanged accusations of border violations and engaged in multiple skirmishes since October 11, when the Taliban government in Kabul accused Pakistan of conducting airstrikes inside Afghan territory — a charge Islamabad has neither confirmed nor denied.
Tensions deepened after Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif warned of potential military strikes inside Afghanistan if militant attacks on Pakistani soil continued. “If their territory is used and they violate ours, we will definitely conduct strikes. If needed, we’ll go deep into Afghanistan,” Asif said, as quoted by Dawn. He added that Islamabad had participated in peace talks “to give peace a chance” but accused the Taliban of displaying a “venomous” attitude.
The four-day peace talks, mediated by Turkey and Qatar in Istanbul, failed to produce any resolution or de-escalation roadmap. Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar confirmed the discussions “failed to bring about any workable solution.”
Pakistan accuses the Taliban of harbouring militants responsible for attacks on its forces and civilians, while the Taliban blames Pakistan for repeated violations of Afghan sovereignty through airstrikes and cross-border aggression.
India, maintaining its long-standing stance, reaffirmed its commitment to Afghanistan’s independence and criticised Pakistan’s continued use of cross-border terrorism as a political tool.
