Ahead of inaugural Board of Peace meeting, Asif says recognition of Israel ‘not on the cards at all’
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said on Wednesday said that recognition of Israel by Pakistan was “not on the cards at all” as he highlighted the country’s support for the Palestinian cause.
The minister made the remarks in an interview with France 24. The comments come as the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace led by US President Donald Trump will be held in Washington on February 19. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar will be attending the meeting.
In the interview, Asif was asked about Pakistan’s decision to join the Board of Peace and if the country would contribute troops for a military force in Gaza.
“I don’t see any problem in that. It all depends on what sort of terms of reference are drafted for that peace force,” he said, highlighting that Pakistan was a part of UN peacekeeping missions.
“So we have that experience. Palestine is a cause that is very close to our hearts. We have been demonstrating solidarity with them for many, many, many decades,” he said.
He said that Pakistan had supported the cause of Palestine on countless international forums.
“So this is something worth attempting. This is a good opportunity. Let’s hope it brings us closer to the two-state solution in the Middle East,” he said.
The interviewer then pointed out that many Muslim countries had normalised ties with Israel and asked whether this was on the table for Pakistan.
“No, not yet. You know, I do not see this option even being considered by Pakistan. Maybe, in the future, when there is a total paradigm shift and two states are established and Palestinians have the right of self-determination, their own homeland,” he said.
“At the moment, it is not on the cards at all,” he said.
‘India waging proxy war’
The minister was then asked about the security situation in the country, including the attack at an imambargah in Islamabad.
In response, Asif said that there were almost “all franchises of terrorism” in neighbouring Afghanistan, which he attributed to the “non-seriousness” of the Afghan Taliban government. He said that the Afghan Taliban was providing terrorists safe haven on their soil.
“Nothing can happen from across the border from Afghanistan … any attack in Pakistan, it has the blessings of the Afghan government,” he said.
Asked about Pakistan’s strikes in Afghanistan, the minister said, “We always have that option and we can exercise that option. We won’t hesitate.”
He further said that if terrorist outfits were operating from Afghan soil, the responsibility lay with Kabul’s rulers.
Asked about India, the minister highlighted the military conflict between Pakistan and India in May 2025.
“Our air force practically decimated whatever attempt they were making to invade Pakistan. So now they are now waging a proxy war against Pakistan,” he said.
“Delhi and Kabul and all these terrorist outfits are on the same page,” he said.
He said that friendly countries had attempted to mediate between Islamabad and Kabul but “these attempts did not produce any results”.
He said that the Afghan Taliban had accepted that the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) was operating from their territory.
“They indirectly said that they had no control over them. We told them that allow us to deal with them … they accepted their responsibility verbally, but whatever we agreed upon … they are not ready to give it in writing,” he said.
