India criticizes Pakistan’s ‘inconsistent’ democracy amid Khan-Army dispute and border tensions

In a sharp criticism during the weekly briefing of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on December 8, 2025, spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal dismissed Pakistan’s democratic credentials, saying, “Democracy and Pakistan cannot go together.” Responding to questions on the political turmoil in the neighboring country—particularly the protests over the treatment of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan and the alleged degradation of institutions—Jaiswal noted India’s close monitoring, but urged to be brief: “The less we talk, the better.” The comments underline New Delhi’s long-standing suspicion of Islamabad’s governance, amid Khan’s ongoing detention through August 2023 on corruption charges.

Jaiswal’s comments come at a time of renewed bitterness between the Pakistan Army and Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). On 4 December, Khan’s X post described Army Chief General Asim Munir as “mentally unstable”, and accused him of constitutional collapse. In response, Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry—without naming Khan—called him “mentally ill” and a “narcissistic” person whose ambitions are a threat to national security, and vowed to debunk his “narrative.” Choudhary accused Khan of using family meetings and social media as weapons to incite unrest, and held Indian/Afghan outlets responsible for it.

Khan, 73, faces more than 200 cases after being ousted from power in 2022, with PTI alleging that the 2024 elections were rigged to favor PM Shehbaz Sharif. Health-related rumors—due to restricted access—had been at their peak recently, but on December 2, his sister Uzma Khanum met him for 30 minutes in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, and confirmed that he was “completely fine” but was suffering “mental torture” through solitary confinement. PTI protested outside the jail and the Islamabad High Court (IHC), demanding visitation rights as per the March IHC order, amid Section 144 restrictions.

Jaiswal expressed “deep concern” over the clashes that broke out along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border on December 5-6, and condemned the attacks that killed Afghan civilians. “We condemn such attacks on innocent Afghan people. India strongly supports the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Afghanistan,” he said.

Heavy firing took place near Spin Boldak (Kandahar), which lasted for about 2-4 hours. Afghan officials said four civilians and one soldier were killed in Pakistani shelling, with dozens injured. Pakistan accused the Taliban of “unprovoked firing”, denied any Afghan casualties, but acknowledged the deaths of six security personnel and injuries to four civilians. The clashes followed deadly clashes in October (which left dozens dead), after which Saudi/Qatar mediated talks failed, and border crossings such as Chaman/Torkham were closed, halting trade. TTP attacks in Pakistan, which reportedly involve terrorists sheltering in Afghanistan, are fueling this cycle.

India’s sharp comment – ​​which echoes earlier criticisms – highlights concerns about Pakistan’s military influence, as evidenced by PTI’s claims of “hybrid governance”. As PTI rallies take place (despite sanctions) and tensions rise in Afghan relations, Jaiswal’s words risk escalating tensions, but reaffirm Delhi’s non-interventionist stance. UNAMA condemned the deaths of 37 civilians in the recent shootings and urged diplomacy. With Khan’s health under scrutiny and instability at the borders, the rifts in South Asia are deepening.