Pakistan admits to supporting terrorism for the West
- Khawaja Asif revealed Pakistan's long-standing involvement in supporting terrorist groups for Western powers.
- The Defense Minister expressed regret for these historical decisions, attributing considerable internal suffering to this involvement.
- Asif stressed that Pakistan is often wrongfully accused of terrorism, while having suffered significantly from it.
In a recent interview, Khawaja Asif, the Defense Minister of Pakistan, revealed the country's historical involvement in supporting various terrorist organizations for Western powers, particularly the United States and the United Kingdom, dating back decades. He described this support as 'dirty work,' confirming Islamabad's role in training and funding these groups in exchange for strategic backing against adversaries such as the Soviet Union during the Cold War and in the subsequent War on Terror following the September 11 attacks. Asif further expressed regret over these decisions, asserting that they have led to significant suffering for Pakistan, which has experienced considerable terrorism within its borders as a direct consequence of its alliance with the West. He labeled the past policy decisions a fundamental mistake, emphasizing the view that Pakistan's involvement in these historical conflicts has altered the country's societal ethos, leading to the contemporary challenges it faces, including persistent security threats and accusations of terrorism from neighboring India, which frequently blames Pakistan for terrorist activities occurring within its territory. Asif’s statements bring to the forefront the complex and often contentious history of Pakistan’s foreign relations and its intricate balance between supporting Western initiatives while grappling with the repercussions that have further categorized Pakistan as a victim of terrorism. This discourse occurs amid ongoing tensions in the region, notably escalating hostilities between India and Pakistan, particularly following a recent attack in Kashmir that resulted in many civilian fatalities, attributed by India to Pakistan-based militant groups. In this context, Asif reiterated that Pakistan is often used as a scapegoat for terrorist activities, denying any knowledge of certain organizations deemed responsible for attacks against India while criticizing the West for its historical use of proxy warfare.