We do not want armed conflict with Afghanistan: defence minister
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said that Pakistan does not want an armed conflict with Afghanistan, adding that “force was the last resort”.
In an interview with Voice of America published on Wednesday, the defence minister said Pakistan could block the corridor it provided to Afghanistan for trade with India, adding that it had the right to stop facilitating Kabul if it failed to curb anti-Pakistan terrorists operating on Afghan soil.
“If Afghanistan treats us like an enemy, then why should we give them a trade corridor?” Asif said.
His statement comes after Pakistan carried out intelligence-based anti-terrorist operations on March 18 in the border regions inside Afghanistan in response to multiple terrorist attacks in Pakistan which caused deaths of hundreds of civilians and law enforcement officials.