Afghan General’s Testimony Strengthens Pakistan’s Accusations on Indian Proxy Role

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In a recent statement that has drawn significant regional attention, former Afghan military leader General Sami Sadat has alleged that Indian financial networks were used to arm anti-Pakistan militants via Taliban-controlled areas. His comments support longstanding claims by Pakistani authorities that India has used Afghan territory to destabilize Pakistan’s internal security.

According to General Sadat, funds allegedly linked to Indian sources were routed through Afghan channels to equip militant groups with weapons, training, and sanctuary. These claims align with previous statements from Pakistani intelligence, which has frequently accused Indian agencies of backing non-state actors in areas like Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

A key aspect of the general’s remarks includes his observation that banned groups continue to operate openly within Afghanistan, often with the implicit cooperation of Taliban factions. The Taliban’s inability or unwillingness to curtail such activity, he said, has enabled a rise in cross-border attacks on Pakistani targets.

These assertions appear consistent with a 2024 report attributed to the United Nations, which confirmed the presence of international terrorist groups within Afghanistan. The report highlighted a lack of enforcement capacity in the country, allowing these factions to thrive in a post-U.S. withdrawal environment.

Following the 2021 exit of U.S. forces, the resulting power vacuum reportedly allowed groups like the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) to regain operational strength. Analysts have warned that abandoned Western weapon stockpiles have further emboldened these groups.

A 2024 assessment attributed to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point reportedly identified encrypted digital infrastructure linked to Indian intelligence services, including the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW). These systems are believed to facilitate coordination with armed groups via airfields in Kandahar and Herat.

Further complicating matters, informal financial systems such as hawala are reportedly being used to mask the origin of funds. NATO-aligned intelligence assessments have pointed to increased use of hawala by proxy actors allegedly tied to Indian interests, particularly those aligned with the militant umbrella group Fitna-al-Khawarij (FAK).

Reports from the Danish Institute in 2024 have also linked Afghanistan’s growing narcotics trade to insurgent financing. With trade routes increasingly repurposed to move weapons and drugs, Pakistani authorities have raised concerns about the broader destabilizing effect on bordering provinces.

According to official Pakistani data, over 1,987 militants have been neutralized in 2024 alone. Islamabad claims that more than 5,400 attacks it attributes to foreign-backed groups have taken place this year, citing what it views as a coordinated subversion campaign.

With General Sadat’s comments now part of the public record, Pakistani officials are calling for increased global scrutiny of state-sponsored terrorism and proxy warfare in South Asia. Observers note that the revelations may add pressure on international stakeholders to reassess the regional dynamics shaping conflict across the subcontinent.

Indian authorities have consistently denied involvement in cross-border militancy and have not publicly responded to General Sadat’s remarks as of this writing.