Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has publicly acknowledged that the country committed “serious mistakes” by aligning itself with the United States during the Afghan wars, admitting that the decisions taken during those years continue to have long-term consequences for the nation.
Speaking in Pakistan’s National Assembly, Asif stated that Islamabad was exploited for Washington’s strategic objectives and later abandoned once those goals were achieved. In a strongly worded remark, he said Pakistan had been treated “worse than a piece of toilet paper.”
The minister conceded that Pakistan has often denied its historical role in supporting militancy, a stance he said has inflicted sustained damage on the country. According to Asif, the wave of terrorism confronting Pakistan today is a direct outcome of policy decisions made under past military regimes.
He described Pakistan’s involvement in the two Afghan wars as a strategic error, particularly following the September 11, 2001 attacks, when Islamabad sided with the United States and distanced itself from the Taliban. While the US eventually withdrew from Afghanistan, Asif noted, Pakistan was left grappling with prolonged violence, radicalisation, and deepening economic challenges.
Rejecting claims that Pakistan’s participation in the Afghan conflicts was driven by religious motivations, Asif asserted that the concept of “jihad” had been misused to mobilise fighters, calling it a misleading and harmful narrative.
He directly criticised former military rulers General Zia-ul-Haq and General Pervez Musharraf, alleging that their decisions to join the Afghan wars were aimed at appeasing a global superpower rather than serving Islamic principles.
Asif further remarked that Pakistan’s education system had been reshaped during those years to justify the wars, adding that the ideological shifts introduced at the time continue to influence society. Terming the consequences “irreversible,” he said the losses suffered by Pakistan—both human and institutional—can never be fully compensated.
.png)
The opinions posted here do not belong to 🔰www.indiansdaily.com. The author is solely responsible for the opinions.
As per the IT policy of the Central Government, insults against an individual, community, religion or country, defamatory and inflammatory remarks, obscene and vulgar language are punishable offenses. Legal action will be taken for such expressions of opinion.