Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 06:33pm on 11 Feb 2026,Wednesday International
Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif made stark admissions in Parliament, accusing the US of exploiting Pakistan for strategic interests then discarding it "like toilet paper." He termed Islamabad's involvement in two Afghan wars a "mistake," acknowledging current terrorism as blowback from past dictatorial decisions. Asif said realignment with Washington post-1999, especially after 9/11 attacks, proved devastating. Pakistan turned against the Taliban while America eventually withdrew, leaving Pakistan facing violence, radicalization, and economic strain. Challenging official narratives, he rejected claims religious obligation drove Afghan involvement, stating military dictators Zia-ul-Haq and Pervez Musharraf joined wars "to appease a superpower," not for Islam. He called losses "irreversible" and acknowledged Pakistan's reshaped education system still embeds war-justifying ideology.
