In an apparent admission, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, in a recent interview with Sky News, said his country supported and trained terrorists for the “last three decades.” However, he blamed the United States and the West for it.

Sky News presenter Yalda Hakim questioned Asif about Pakistan’s role in terrorism, especially after the terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people earlier this week.

“You do admit, sir, that Pakistan has had a long history of backing and supporting and training and funding these terrorist organisations?” Hakim asked.

“We have been doing this dirty work for the United States for about three decades, and for the West, including Britain,” Asif replied.

He also said that joining these wars was a “mistake” and that Pakistan had suffered because of it. “If we had not joined the war against the Soviet Union, and later the war after 9/11, Pakistan would have had a clean record,” he added.

During the Cold War, Pakistan supported the US against the Soviet Union in Afghanistan. After the 9/11 attacks, Pakistan backed the US invasion of Afghanistan. Asif even claimed that the US used terrorists as “proxies” to fight the Soviets.

When asked if Pakistan fears an escalation after the Pahalgam attack, Asif said his country was ready to respond. “We will respond according to what India does. If there is an all-out attack, there will be an all-out war,” he warned.

On April 22, terrorists struck the popular tourist destination, the picturesque Baisaran meadow in J&K’s Pahalgam, killing 26 people. In a strong response, India announced a series of diplomatic measures, including the closure of the Attari-Wahag border checkpost, visa cancellations, the expulsion of several Pakistani personnel from India and the most significant – the abeyance of the Indus Waters Treaty.

Pakistan responded by blocking its airspace for Indian airlines, closure of Wagah border, suspension of all trade ties with India and most importantly, putting the 1972 Simla Agreement in abeyance.