Achakzai says militancy in Pakistan stems from Afghanistan war policies

Mehmood Khan Achakzai, leader of the Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, has sharply criticized Pakistan’s past security and foreign policies, saying the country’s ongoing insecurity and instability are rooted in decisions made during the Afghanistan war.

Achakzai said militancy did not emerge “without reason or out of madness,” arguing that policies pursued during the Afghan conflict created conditions that fueled extremism in the region.

He claimed that during the war in Afghanistan, fighters from various parts of the world gathered and trained in Pakistan, adding that those policies later contributed to the rise of major militant networks.

“The result of this policy was that major so-called terrorists were later found here,” he said.

Achakzai also criticized what he described as a lack of accountability over major national crises and security failures, questioning why key incidents were never fully investigated.

Referring to the 2011 Abbottabad raid, in which U.S. special forces killed Osama bin Laden inside Pakistan, he described the operation as a violation of the country’s sovereignty.

“Foreign forces took guests from our home while we remained helpless. Nations should not be treated this way,” Achakzai said.