The tone of tension is rising again in South Asia. Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif has alleged that India is waging a ‘low-intensity war’ against Islamabad using Afghan soil. In a recent interview with Al-Arabiya English, he said that New Delhi is now using Afghan soil to avenge its defeat in the four-day conflict in May. He claims that Kabul has now effectively become India’s ‘proxy state’.
According to Asif, Islamabad’s blaming of Kabul for the recent terrorist attacks, border clashes and failure of talks with the Taliban government is not a mere allegation – but rather an indication of Indian influence. He said that Pakistan will show it when the time comes to present evidence. He commented that the visit of the Afghan Foreign Minister to New Delhi at the beginning of the border conflict indicates this.
The Pakistani Defense Minister claimed that India lost seven fighter jets in the conflict in May. US President Donald Trump has also spoken out on the issue, although he did not specify which side’s aircraft were involved. The conflict began after a deadly attack on tourists in Kashmir, for which India blamed Pakistan. Islamabad denied the allegations and called for an impartial investigation. This was followed by air strikes and counter-strikes between the two countries, which lasted for four days and led to a ceasefire agreement brokered by the US.
Khawaja Asif said that relations between Kabul and New Delhi have always worked to Pakistan’s detriment. Despite the change of government, the course of relations has remained unchanged. He warned that there is a risk of increasing tensions on the border, but the possibility of a full-scale war is still low. “If we get evidence of interference from across the border, Pakistan will respond strongly, and if necessary, we will go inside and settle the score,” he said.
The Pakistani minister’s comments have brought the geopolitics of South Asia into the spotlight again. According to experts, the new regional rivalry that is emerging, centered on Afghanistan’s internal tensions and India’s strategic position, carries worrying signs for the security and stability not only of India-Pakistan, but also of the entire region.
Source: Dawn News.