Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has questioned the authority of the Afghan government in negotiations, saying that it became clear on the first day that Kabul did not have control.
He asked how much reliance could be placed on assurances given by a single group, adding that Pakistan had spent a full week negotiating with the Afghan Taliban.
In an interview with a private television channel, Asif said that those in Kabul were pulling strings under external control. He said that since the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan, Pakistani children had been killed in attacks.
Asif said that India has launched a proxy war through Kabul to compensate for its earlier setbacks.
He warned that any threat towards Islamabad would be met with severe retaliation. Asif added that those who had supported the Taliban in the past should face prosecution, regardless of whether they were inside Pakistan or abroad.
He expressed hope that Pakistan could play a role in protecting Palestinians and reaffirmed respect for the elected government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
