Khalilzad questions whether Pakistan played a ‘double game’ in Afghanistan war

Former U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad has questioned whether Pakistan pursued a “double game” during the war in Afghanistan, following recent remarks by Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif about Islamabad’s role after the September 11 attacks.

Speaking in Pakistan’s parliament, Asif said the country had effectively “rented itself to the United States” by aligning with Washington in the U.S.-led war on terror.

Responding to the comments, Khalilzad noted that while Pakistan was receiving U.S. military and financial assistance, it was also accused of providing sanctuary to groups fighting American and allied forces in Afghanistan. He questioned whether this amounted to playing both sides of the conflict.

Khalilzad further asked whether Pakistani authorities may have received benefits or “rent” from another power in return for offering safe haven to anti-U.S. fighters, suggesting that clear answers could provide greater insight into regional policies during the Afghanistan war.

His remarks came a day after Asif said that previous wars in Afghanistan were driven by political interests rather than long-term stability.