Defence Minister Khawaja Asif warned that Pakistan could move to open conflict with Afghanistan if outstanding issues are not resolved through negotiations with the Afghan Taliban.

Khawaja Asif said Pakistan’s security forces and police were making sacrifices to protect the country. “Our forces and police are sacrificing their lives. We sleep while our guards remain on duty,” he said, urging unity and vigilance at home.

He criticised what he described as hostile attitudes from across the border despite decades of hospitality. “We have hosted Afghans for 40 years. Many who sat in Doha talks are now young men spread across Pakistan. It is unclear why Afghanistan treats us this way. Afghanistan is acting as a proxy of India against us, and Afghan refugees have taken up jobs and business,” he said.

Khawaja Asif said Pakistan’s priority remained peaceful coexistence. “Our only agenda should be to live with our neighbours in brotherhood,” he said, adding that there had been no major violent incidents over the past four to five days. Still, he warned that if diplomacy failed, Pakistan would consider other options: “If issues are not resolved through negotiations, then we will have an open war with Afghanistan.”

The remarks come as the second round of talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan is under way in Turkey, where officials are reviewing the implementation of points agreed during the Doha sessions.