ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Wednesday promised the same response to Kabul as was given to New Delhi in May 2025 if the Afghan regime did not abandon acting as an Indian proxy and stop facilitating terrorism against the neighbouring country.
“Our enemy is the same on the eastern and western borders. The same response will be given to Kabul as was given to Delhi if the Afghan regime does not stop acting as an Indian proxy and abandon facilitating terrorism in Pakistan,” the defence minister said while speaking on the floor of the National Assembly.
Asif said the Kabul government, while becoming an Indian proxy, was not ready to abandon support to terrorist groups perpetrating terrorism inside Pakistan. He pointed out that after suffering defeat in ‘Marka-e-Haq’ last year, India lacks the courage to confront Pakistan directly and would also not do so in the future and is instead using Kabul to wage a proxy war against the neighbouring country. “There is only one solution which is war if the Afghan government does not abandon terrorists and their camps and stop acting as an Indian proxy,” Asif said while responding to points raised by former speaker Asad Qaisar in the House.
He said that despite the fact that the Afghan regime was acting as an Indian proxy and facilitating terrorists, Pakistan held detailed negotiations with Afghanistan, regretting that those remained inconclusive. He mentioned that three rounds of negotiations were held with Afghanistan with the support of Turkiye, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, and there might be another attempt in the offing for negotiations. He reiterated that Pakistan made sincere efforts involving the three countries and even requested the Afghan government to stop supporting terrorism against the neighbouring countries and abandon camps of terrorists. But they (Afghan regime) were not ready to give any written commitment. “The Afghan regime is a proxy of India and fighting the war of Hindutva against Pakistan,” he said.
He categorically said that in such circumstances, there is the same enemy we are confronting on the eastern and western borders and the same enemy was there at both places. “Still, this is our desire that they talk to us so that some arrangement is made to end terrorism,” he said.
He said that even 19-hour-long talks were held with the Afghan regime, and they always gave verbal assurances but were never ready to give any written guarantee. He said that for a long time, the federal government did not enjoy the cooperation of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on the particular issue of terrorism. But now, he said, the provincial government was standing with the Centre and armed forces to curb the menace of terrorism.
Earlier, taking the floor, Asad Qaisar said there should be no compromise with terrorists, but Pakistan should talk to the Afghan regime. He said a significant portion of trade for people in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa depends on Afghanistan but it is now suspended. He mentioned that growers of potatoes have faced billions of rupees in loss, while others were also suffering badly. While mentioning the assassination of Maulana Idrees of JUI-Fazl and other tragic incidents, Asad Qaisar said the federal government has not been able to fulfill its responsibilities. He said the Centre had also failed in the implementation of National Action Plan (NAP) in letter and spirit. He regretted that the erstwhile Fata districts were not getting their due share from the National Finance Commission Award after merger with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province.
He said that the Election Commission of Gilgit-Baltistan did a big injustice by snatching the electoral symbol from the GB Democratic Alliance as soon as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) entered into an alliance with the Democratic Alliance. He reiterated that injustice was being meted out to the PTI leadership by keeping Imran Khan in prison and not giving him due facilities. “He was also deprived of his mandate in the general elections,” he said.
Meanwhile, the National Assembly passed the controversial Islamabad Capital Territory Condominium (Ownership and Management) Bill, 2026 with an objective to protect rights of owners in shared properties along with five other bills.
A dissenting note from Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, Chairman of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Housing and Works, is annexed with the bill passed by the House. In the dissenting note, Maulana Haideri said that during the meeting of the committee, he along with two other MNAs raised objection on Clause 10 of the bill which pertains to insurance of the condominium complex. “As insurance is ‘interest’, therefore, I along with Ghulam Rasul Chandio and Mir Aamir Magsi reject this bill,” he said. He said that as the Constitution provides for elimination of interest, the House is going for interest-based legislation. The dissenting note also contains Quranic verses and ‘Fatwas’ as given by Ulema and Muftis against insurance and interest.
The controversial Clause 10 says that the Association of Owners shall insure the entire condominium complex against the risk of fire, civil commotion, riots, earthquake and bomb blast. Premium shall be paid by owners. The bill aims to regulate condominium ownership, transfer and collective maintenance to ensure orderly urban development and protection of owners’ rights. The enactment will formalise condominium ownership structures, enhance governance of shared properties, ensure accountability in management and align ICT’s housing regulation with modern urban practices. Other bills passed by the House included the Pakistan Nursing and Midwifery Council Bill, 2026, the Netting of Financial Arrangements Bill, 2026, the Export-Import Bank of Pakistan Amendment Bill, 2026, the Fiscal Responsibility and Debt Limitation Amendment Bill, 2026, and the Special Economic Zones Amendment Bill, 2026. Two other bills including the Pakistan Air Safety Investigation Amendment Bill, 2026 and the Customs Amendment Bill, 2026 were laid in the House.
