The Defense Minister Khawaja Asif on March 23 stated that his country does not desire an armed conflict with Afghanistan, following Islamabad’s airstrikes on alleged terrorist hideouts across the border, reports Pakistan Today. In an interview with Voice of America (VoA), Asif emphasized, “Force is the last resort. We do not want to have an armed conflict with Afghanistan.” He cautioned that Pakistan could block the corridor it provides to landlocked Afghanistan for trade with India if Kabul fails to curb anti-Pakistan terrorists operating on Afghan soil, questioning the rationale behind providing this corridor if Afghanistan treats Pakistan as an enemy. Asif highlighted the surge in terror attacks in Pakistan since the Taliban regained power in Afghanistan in August 2021. He noted that a message needed to be sent that cross-border terrorism has become intolerable. He expressed Pakistan’s desire to convey to the de facto rulers in Kabul that the current situation is untenable. Regarding Pakistan’s interactions with the Taliban, the Defence Minister stated that during a visit to Kabul in February 2023, he advised Taliban Ministers to not let past “favours” from the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) tie Kabul’s hands. He warned, “If they [TTP] can harm us, then we’ll be forced to [retaliate].” Asif expressed hope that Afghanistan would meet the “single demand” of reining in the TTP, thereby preventing the need for future military strikes from Pakistan.