Pakistan Defence Minister Tells Afghan Journalist:“You Are Not A Good Neighbour”

The exchange took place in New York as the journalist, Nazeera Karimi, questioned Asif about Pakistan's earlier close relationship with the Taliban and Islamabad's current policy toward Afghanistan.

Asif described Pakistan's decision to host Afghans over the past four decades as a“mistake,” saying the country had hosted millions of Afghan citizens during that period. Pakistani officials have previously said that the number of Afghans living in Pakistan reached about 4.5 million at its peak.

The remarks came amid a sharp deterioration in relations between Kabul and Islamabad, driven largely by disputes over cross-border militancy and Pakistan's accusations that the Afghan Taliban authorities allow the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to operate from Afghanistan territory. Kabul has repeatedly rejected the allegation.

The latest escalation followed Pakistani airstrikes on September 24 on 10 sites in Afghanistan's Kandahar, Paktia and Khost provinces. Pakistan said the targets were linked to the launch and storage of drones used in attacks against Pakistan, while Afghan authorities said the strikes killed four civilians.

Afghan Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid condemned the strikes and said Kabul would respond at an appropriate time. Pakistan's Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the strikes were aimed at military targets directly linked to attacks against Pakistan and described the operation as deliberate and limited.

The latest strikes followed another round of Pakistani airstrikes earlier in September. Pakistan said those attacks killed 28 militants, while Afghan authorities reported civilian deaths. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan confirmed that at least three civilians, including a woman and a girl, were killed in those earlier strikes.

The security dispute has also been accompanied by cross-border fighting and allegations from both sides. Pakistan accuses the Afghan Taliban authorities of providing safe haven to militants responsible for attacks inside Pakistan, while Kabul denies the allegations and has accused Islamabad of violating Afghanistan territory through military operations.

The renewed conflict is also affecting trade and movement between the two countries, with repeated border closures disrupting commercial activity and travel. The escalation has raised concerns about civilian safety and the economic impact on communities on both sides of the border. Recent fighting has also threatened mediation efforts involving China, Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

Asif's remarks come as relations between the two neighbours, which once maintained close security and political ties, have entered one of their most difficult periods since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021. Both governments continue to accuse the other of contributing to the worsening security situation, with no lasting resolution to the dispute in sight.

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