‘All-Out War’ India Staged Pahalgam Attack, Warns Pak Minister | WATCH

Pakistan’s Defence Minister, Khawaja Asif, has raised tensions yet again by suggesting that the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, might have been “staged.” In a bold interview with Sky News, he warned of an “all-out war” if India retaliates militarily, as it did in 2019 with the Balakot airstrikes.

Responding to a question from journalist Yalda Hakim about Islamabad’s history of supporting terror groups, Asif made a startling admission. He said, “We have been doing this dirty work for the US and the West, including Britain, for three decades.” While acknowledging the involvement, he also referred to it as a strategic blunder. “If we had not joined the war against the Soviet Union and later on, following the 9/11 attacks, Pakistan would have an unimpeachable track record,” Asif added.

Admits Role in Cold War Proxy Conflicts

Asif acknowledged that Pakistan had backed the US during the Cold War and later supported NATO operations in Afghanistan post-9/11. He claimed that Pakistan’s role in arming terror groups was driven by the West. “The US used terrorists as proxies to fight the Soviet Union in Afghanistan,” Asif said.

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In intv on Sky News Pakistan Defence Minister Asif says Pakistan did the “dirty work” of funding terrorist groups (Kashmir/Afghanistan) for 3 decades, on behalf of US and the West pic.twitter.com/mM2epmzyzx

— Suhasini Haidar (@suhasinih) April 25, 2025

Despite his admission, Asif denied any current links to groups accused of orchestrating the Pahalgam attack. “Lashkar is an old name. It does not exist… Our government has condemned it (Pahalgam attack) categorically. Pakistan has been the victim of terrorism for decades,” he said. He also claimed ignorance of The Resistance Front, the Lashkar-e-Taiba offshoot that claimed responsibility for the attack, saying, “I have never heard of it.”

Pakistan’s defence minister has told Sky News that a row over a mass shooting in Kashmir could lead to an “all-out war”

Speaking to @SkyYaldaHakim, Khawaja Asif suggested India had “staged” the shooting.

Full interview: https://t.co/jvth4a0Umv pic.twitter.com/jVhFmjN4ij

— Sky News (@SkyNews) April 24, 2025

Warns India of Consequences

When asked about the possibility of a military response from India, Asif issued a sharp warning. “If there is an all-out attack or something like that (referring to the Balakot airstrikes), then obviously there will be an all-out war… The clash between two nuclear powers is always worrisome,” he said.

His remarks follow Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s strong statement on Thursday, where he vowed that India would “identify, trace, and punish” every terrorist and their backers behind the Pahalgam massacre.