Defense czar says many judges resign to secure pensions, benefits after completing terms of service
Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said cross-border attacks emanating from Afghanistan continued to undermine Pakistan’s security, suggesting a written pledge from the Afghan Taliban regime – backed by guarantees from friendly countries – could help establish a path towards stability.
Talking about Express news Program Center Stage on Saturday, he highlighted contradictions in the Taliban regime’s statements, noting that while they claim that Afghan territory has never been used against Pakistan, “evidence suggests otherwise.”
Asif said Pakistan has repeatedly conveyed a clear position to Kabul: terrorism must not emanate from Afghan territory, which requires a formal pledge from the Taliban administration. “If terrorism does not take place from your territory, give a guarantee that it will never happen. This is only reasonable – make sure that it has never happened before and will not happen in the future,” he added.
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He suggested that a written pledge, backed by friendly states such as Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, China and Qatar, acting as guarantors, could help establish a path toward stability. “I am saying this only to find a solution,” he added.
The defense minister said both recent terror attacks in Pakistan were linked to Afghanistan. He said those killed in the Wana attack were all Afghan nationals, with “not a single person of Pakistani origin among them”, adding that the attack in Islamabad was also traced back to Afghan territory.
Alleging that the Taliban government has failed to deliver improvements for Afghan citizens despite being in power for three years, Asif said Afghanistan has become a “safe haven” where militants from around the world operate “under the umbrella of Kandahar.” These groups, he said, shift their targets “at convenience — sometimes toward Russia, other times toward Pakistan.”
He described Afghanistan as a country in complete institutional collapse. “Afghans are unemployed. The country has no economy, no rule of law, no functioning judiciary and no administrative structure. In every way it is a failed state,” he noted.
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On a question related to trade, Asif said the Pakistan-Afghanistan border should serve as a formal international border. He argued that, given repeated cross-border attacks, it should no longer operate in the informal way it has for decades.
“They have attacked our existence not once but several times,” he said, adding that regulating movement under established border protocols would also curb smuggling, including the illicit flow of dollars.
The Defense Minister confirmed that the tenure of the Army Chief and the Chief of Defense Staff (CDF) will begin simultaneously on November 27, 2025 during a new announcement. He defended the CDF’s position by comparing it to similar structures in Britain and the United States, saying that both the current army chief and the CDF are “worthy” and have demonstrated their capabilities in war.
He rejected claims that excessive authority has been concentrated in a single military office, adding that future appointments of army chiefs will be processed through the Ministry of Defense, which remains accountable to parliament and the prime minister.
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Asif claimed that many judges resign to secure pensions and benefits after completing terms of service. He urged those who resigned on principle to state their reasons publicly rather than wait to receive “lifelong privileges.”
He insisted that the government has not encroached on judicial powers, denied that any authority has shifted to the executive, and said procedures for the appointment and transfer of judges remain unchanged.
