Islamabad, May 18, 2025: Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has said that the Taliban and Israel were the only two parties to openly support India’s recent military operation against Pakistan, signaling a shift in regional alignments and further straining diplomatic relations.
Speaking to a private news channel, Asif criticized the Taliban’s reported alignment with India, despite Pakistan’s previous support for the group during the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan.
“We accepted their demands and endured global criticism, even being branded a terrorist state,” Asif stated. “Today, the same Taliban are standing beside Israel in support of India.”
The minister referred to comments made by Indian journalist and defense analyst Praveen Sahni, who reportedly said that only Israel and Afghanistan supported India’s Operation Sandur—a military campaign launched in response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack that killed several tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir.
“This is not my claim—it’s what Praveen Sahni, a respected Indian defense voice, has said,” Asif added.
Asif’s remarks came amid unconfirmed reports of a secret visit to India by a senior Taliban defense official, a development neither Kabul nor New Delhi has publicly acknowledged.
India launched Operation Sandur on May 6 following the Pahalgam attack, which it blamed on Pakistan-based militant groups. Pakistan has categorically denied any involvement. The operation included cross-border air and missile strikes on Pakistani territory, escalating tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors. A ceasefire agreement was reached on May 10, reportedly mediated by the United States.
Neither Israeli nor Taliban representatives have issued statements responding to the Pakistani defense minister’s claims.
As diplomatic fallout continues, analysts say Asif’s comments reflect growing frustration in Islamabad over perceived betrayals and shifting alliances in a region already fraught with volatility.
