Islamabad/New Delhi: Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has publicly acknowledged in Parliament that terrorism in the country is being fuelled by corruption and large‑scale smuggling, a statement that strongly vindicates India’s long‑standing position on Pakistan’s terror ecosystem.
Khawaja Asif admitted that violence in Balochistan is driven more by criminal profits than by foreign interference, and that oil‑smuggling networks generate billions of rupees for militant groups. He also disclosed the heavy toll on civilians and security forces, while confirming that criminal outfits operate under the cover of banned terrorist organisations.
The remarks reinforce India’s repeated assertion that Pakistan’s terror infrastructure is rooted in internal corruption and institutional complicity, rather than being a purely “foreign‑inspired” phenomenon. New Delhi has, for years, flagged this nexus at international forums; Asif’s on‑record admission now gives Indian diplomacy fresh ammunition to press Islamabad on cracking down on terror‑financing networks and smuggling syndicates.
Analysts say the statement could complicate Pakistan’s attempts to project itself as a “victim” of cross‑border terrorism, especially vis‑à‑vis India and Afghanistan. It also opens space for greater scrutiny of Pakistan’s security‑establishment‑linked business networks and may influence how multilateral bodies such as the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) view Islamabad’s counter‑terror and anti‑money‑laundering commitments.
