In an unusually frank interview with Sky News, Pakistan’s ex-foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari conceded that Pakistan had a well-documented history of supporting extremist groups. His words confirmed a recent embattled admission from Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, who openly declared that Pakistan operated covert operations on behalf of the United States and the West for more than three decades.
“I don’t think that it’s a secret that Pakistan has a past as far as extremist groups are concerned,” Bhutto said. He was alluding to Pakistan’s role in the Afghan war, in which the nation, in collaboration with Western powers, aided and armed Mujahideen rebels battling Soviet forces.
Bilawal Bhutto went on to say, “We did that in coordination and collaboration with Western powers. Pakistan went through wave after wave of extremism… we suffered.”
‘I don’t think it is a secret that Pakistan has a past’
Former Foreign Minister of Pakistan Bilawal Bhutto tells @SkyYaldaHakim ‘we have gone through wave after wave of extremism’https://t.co/aLfgNyPdOk
? Sky 501, Virgin 602, Freeview 233 and YouTube pic.twitter.com/ozYfdtFp5v
— Sky News (@SkyNews) April 30, 2025
The Confession
His confession comes just a few weeks after Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, in a live TV interview, disclosed, “we have been doing this dirty work for the United States for about 3 decades… and the West, including Britain.” Asif referred to this as a grave blunder, stating, “We suffered for that… If we had not joined the war against the Soviet Union and later on the war after 9/11, Pakistan’s track record was unimpeachable.”
Bhutto emphasized that the nation has moved beyond such policies, as Pakistan no longer funds extremist elements. “It is not something that we partake in today. It is true that it is an unfortunate part of our history… but we also learned our lessons,” he said.
He attributed internal reforms and aggressive military actions to altering the course. “We saw terrorist attack every other day… Pakistan has taken serious action, successful action against these groups,” Bhutto said, referring to the fallout of the killing of his mother, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, as a watershed moment of Pakistan’s fight against extremism.
India-Pakistan Tensions Rise After Pahalgam Attack
The comments from Bhutto and Asif, meanwhile, come in the wake of increased tensions between Pakistan and India, following a terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in the deaths of 26 individuals. In response, India subsequently rolled out extensive diplomatic and security actions.
India revoked visas for Pakistani citizens, suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, and instructed a cut in Pakistani diplomatic personnel. India also banned all Pakistan-registered aircraft—military aircraft included—from flying into its airspace from midnight April 30 to May 23, 2025. The order, given through a NOTAM on Wednesday, affects Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata flight zones. Pakistan had previously restricted Indian aircraft from its airspace from April 24 at 6 pm IST.
US Responds to Kashmir Attack
Responding to the Kashmir attack, US Vice President JD Vance was concerned in interviewed on Fox News. “Our hope here is that India responds to this terrorist attack in a way that doesn’t lead to a broader regional conflict,” he said.
Vance also called on Pakistan to fully cooperate to bring the attackers to justice. “To the extent they’re culpable, [Pakistan] works with India to ensure that terrorists… are tracked down and taken care of,” he said. He further added, “I’m concerned anytime you see a hot spot erupting, particularly between two nuclear-capable nations.”
