Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has openly admitted that his country engaged in “dirty work” for the United States and Western powers when questioned about Islamabad’s long-standing role in backing and financing terror outfits. In an interview with UK-based Sky News, Asif was asked, “Do you admit, sir, that Pakistan has had a long history of backing and supporting and training and funding these terrorist organizations?” To this, he responded, “We have been doing this dirty work for the US for the past three decades, including the West and the United Kingdom.”
Pakistani defense minister Khawaja Asif responds to Yalda Hakim's question on Pakistan funding terrorists.
— Megh Updates 🚨™ (@MeghUpdates) April 25, 2025
“Well, we have been doing this dirty work for United States and west for 3 decades….including Great Britain” pic.twitter.com/xLLccuJKui
He quickly labelled this involvement as a “mistake”, adding that Pakistan “suffered because of that” and claimed its record would have remained “unimpeachable” had it not aligned with the West during the Soviet-Afghan conflict and post-9/11 operations against the Taliban.
This startling admission comes just after the tragic Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 civilians lost their lives while picnicking in Baisaran Valley. Pakistan’s alliance with the U.S. during the Soviet-Afghan war involved training militants to fight the Soviets, due to Pakistan’s strategic border with Afghanistan. This paved the way for the Taliban’s rise, following a long civil war after the Soviet withdrawal.
Al-Qaeda, led by Osama Bin Laden and sheltered by the Taliban, orchestrated the devastating 9/11 attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people. In the aftermath, Pakistan again became a key ally in the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan to dismantle the Taliban regime.
Despite repeated denials, Pakistan continues to face allegations of aiding terrorism, particularly against India. The Pahalgam massacre has been claimed by The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), headed by 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed.
According to intelligence sources, the assault was executed by a group affiliated with the banned LeT, composed mostly of foreign fighters and backed by local militants and overground workers in the Valley. This group is believed to be involved in multiple high-profile terror incidents in Sonamarg, Ganderbal, and Boota Pathri.
In October 2024, four people — including two Indian soldiers — were killed in Boota Pathri, while six workers and a doctor were gunned down in Sonamarg. Hashim Musa, one of the main suspects in the Pahalgam killings, is also linked to that attack.
