Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has drawn criticism after a video appeared to show him making a throat-slitting gesture while responding to an Afghan woman journalist who questioned him about Islamabad’s ties with the Taliban and its position on the treatment of Afghan women.
The exchange took place on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York. The journalist asked Asif what message Pakistan had for the Taliban over its policies towards Afghan women and why Islamabad had not challenged those policies when the Taliban were considered allies.
According to the purported video shared on social media, Asif interrupted the journalist instead of directly answering her question. Pointing towards her attire, he said, “Don’t go back like this over there. They will... otherwise they will...,” while moving his hand across his neck.
Moneycontrol could not independently verify the authenticity of the video. Social media users who reacted to the footage interpreted the gesture as implying a threat of violence if the journalist returned to Afghanistan. Some also criticised Asif and the people accompanying him for appearing to laugh after the exchange.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Pakistan said on September 24 that it had carried out precision aerial and drone strikes at 10 locations across Afghanistan in response to drones launched from Afghan territory a day earlier. Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the targets were locations used to launch and store drones and described the operation as limited to military objectives.
Afghanistan condemned the strikes and warned of consequences. Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said four Afghans were killed in what he described as Pakistani “criminal aggression”. Reuters also reported that Kabul said the strikes killed four civilians, while Pakistan said it had targeted sites linked to drone operations. (Reuters)
Cross-border tensions between the two countries have continued to rise, with Pakistan accusing groups based in Afghanistan of attacks on its territory and Kabul rejecting allegations that it is harbouring anti-Pakistan militants.