Pakistan Defence Minister Admits Three-Decade Proxy Warfare for Western Interests

Published on April 25, 2025 by Mayur Joshi

Bombshell Admission on Sky News

Bombshell Admission on Sky News

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif delivered a startling confession during a Sky News interview, admitting that Islamabad “has been doing this dirty work for the United States and the West for about three decades.” Speaking amid heightened India–Pakistan tensions, Asif framed the covert support for militant proxies as a service rendered to powerful allies, rather than an independent policy choice. His remark represents an unusually frank acknowledgement from a senior official that Pakistan’s military and intelligence apparatus actively nurtured and funded insurgent groups at the behest of Western governments.

Three Decades of Proxy Warfare

Three Decades of Proxy Warfare

Asif traced Pakistan’s proxy operations back to the Soviet–Afghan War of the 1980s, continuing through the post-9/11 era. He asserted that Pakistan “fought the wars on their side,” supplying and training Mujahideen fighters against Soviet forces and later facilitating U.S. counterterror efforts in Afghanistan. According to his timeline, this covert collaboration persisted for more than 30 years, funded and directed in part to safeguard Western strategic interests. Asif’s admission underscores how deeply these irregular-warfare tactics were woven into Pakistan’s national security doctrine.

Cold War Roots and 9/11 Shift

Cold War Roots and 9/11 Shift

Khawaja Asif emphasized that Pakistan’s “unimpeachable” international standing before the 1980s was undone by its choice to back militant proxies. He lamented that once irregular forces gained resources and training, extremist elements began pursuing their own agendas—fueling domestic instability. The minister marked the initial Soviet conflict as the starting point and the 9/11 fallout as a continuation, suggesting that both episodes reinforced Pakistan’s reliance on non-state actors as force multipliers, with long-term costs that still resonate today.

Denying Link to Pahalgam Horror

Denying Link to Pahalgam Horror

Despite owning up to decades of proxy warfare, Asif drew a clear distinction between past operations and the Pahalgam atrocity. He denied any Pakistani role in that specific attack, maintaining that current militant incidents cannot all be traced to state-sponsored groups. This nuanced stance reflects Pakistan’s attempt to balance admission of historical complicity with rejection of culpability for ongoing violence. The defence minister’s dual message—accountability for the past, denial of present involvement—reveals the tightrope Islamabad is walking amid mounting international scrutiny.

New Flashpoint in India–Pakistan Ties

New Flashpoint in India–Pakistan Ties

Asif’s revelation arrived just days after a devastating Pahalgam attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 civilians. India swiftly suspended the Indus Water Treaty and imposed diplomatic measures against Islamabad. New Delhi, long accusing Pakistan of sponsoring cross-border terrorism, seized on Asif’s words as confirmation of its security concerns. The admission has added fresh momentum to India’s demands for Pakistan to “credibly and irrevocably” end its proxy support, intensifying the bilateral standoff on both diplomatic and military fronts.

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