Islamabad has sought the help of US President Donald Trump to ease tensions with the Taliban as a fragile ceasefire in Afghanistan faces uncertainty.
The appeal came amid ongoing clashes along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, following air strikes by Pakistan on Kabul and Kandahar that left scores dead on both sides.
Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, in an interview with GeoTV, welcomed Trump to mediate between Pakistan and the Taliban, praising the former US President’s record in ending conflicts.
“I think presidents in America have been responsible for wars. This is the first president (Trump) who has stopped wars. In the last 15–20 years, the US has sponsored wars, and he (Trump) is the first president to negotiate peace. If he wants to look into the Pakistan-Afghanistan war, he is most welcome,” Asif said.
Trump himself last week hinted at a possible intervention. Speaking in Egypt during the Gaza peace summit, he said, “I hear there is a war now between Pakistan and Afghanistan. I said, I'll have to wait till I get back – I am doing another one. Because I am good at solving wars.”
Behind Trump’s interest may lie a broader strategic agenda. Last month, he indicated that the US wanted to reclaim Afghanistan’s Bagram air base near Kabul, citing its proximity to Chinese nuclear production, though the Taliban has firmly rejected the proposal.
Under Trump 2.0, relations between Pakistan and the US have intensified, with Islamabad signing cryptocurrency deals, crediting Trump for ending the conflict with India, and nominating him for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Pakistan’s appeal reflects doubts over the ceasefire’s durability. In a controversial statement, Khawaja Asif suggested that the Taliban government was “fighting a proxy war” on India’s behalf. “I have my doubts if the ceasefire will hold, because the decisions of the (Afghan) Taliban are being sponsored by Delhi… Right now, Kabul is fighting a proxy war for Delhi,” he said.
Asif further noted that Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi’s recent visit to India may have influenced the situation. “Muttaqi is back after a week-long trip to India. It remains to be seen what plan he has brought along with him.”
Also Read : Taliban shows Pak troops' pants; Afghans vow to join Mujahideen
The recent border clashes followed Pakistani strikes on Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) camps in Kabul. Pakistan accused the Taliban of sheltering TTP fighters responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Pakistani soldiers since 2021.
The Taliban claimed to have killed 58 Pakistani soldiers, while Islamabad said it had neutralised 200 “Taliban and affiliated terrorists.”
The temporary peace, brokered with help from Saudi Arabia and Qatar, broke down after Pakistani air strikes in Kandahar killed dozens of Taliban fighters. The Taliban reported killing “a large number” of Pakistani soldiers in retaliatory attacks and seizing Pakistani weapons and tanks.
Images of Taliban fighters riding captured Pakistani T-55 tanks and displaying the clothing and weapons of fleeing Pakistani soldiers have caused embarrassment for Islamabad. The ease with which Taliban fighters overran outposts highlighted possible intelligence and surveillance lapses.
Amid these developments, Pakistan has ultimately turned to Donald Trump for assistance to bring an end to the conflict and stabilise the situation along its border.
Follow us
