Delhi blast: Minsiter Khawaja Asif says Pakistan is ready for two-front war with India, Afghanistan

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has issued yet another provocative statement, claiming that his country is “fully-prepared” for a two-front war against India on the eastern border and the Taliban along the western frontier.

Speaking at a public event, Asif said, “We are ready for war on two fronts. We are ready, we are prepared to face both the eastern (India) and western border (Afghanistan). Allah helped us in round one and He will help us in round two”.

His remarks came after 12 people were killed and 36 others were injured in a suicide blast in Islamabad on Tuesday. The Pakistani Taliban (TTP) has claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing.

While Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif accused groups “active with Indian support” of being involved in the attack, Khawaja Asif said that the Afghan Taliban had sent a message through the bombing.

“The rulers of Kabul can stop terrorism in Pakistan, but bringing this war all the way to Islamabad is a message from Kabul, to which – praise be to God – Pakistan has the full strength to respond,” Asif said in a message on X.

The minister’s rhetoric marked a fresh attempt to project military strength despite Islamabad’s dwindling resources and strained diplomatic standing.

Asif’s recent remarks followed his controversial comments on the recent Delhi car blast. Downplaying the explosion that killed 13 people near Red Fort, he described it as merely a “gas cylinder explosion” and accused India of “politicising the incident”.

“Until yesterday, it was a gas cylinder blast. Now they are trying to label it a foreign conspiracy. India could soon blame Pakistan for it,” Asif said.

Indian officials have dismissed his statements as “a desperate attempt to deflect attention”. Senior security sources told India Today TV that the Pakistani minister’s tone reflected “Islamabad’s nervousness”, especially as early forensic reports suggested that the Delhi explosion involved a military-grade explosive.

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