Khalilzad says Pakistan needs ‘reset’ amid economic crisis and rising instability

Former US special envoy for Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, has criticised Pakistan’s current situation three years after the imprisonment of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, saying the country has become worse off and needs a major political reset.

In a post on X marking the third anniversary of Khan’s imprisonment, Khalilzad questioned whether the move had benefited Pakistan, despite some foreign policy achievements.

“Are Pakistanis and the country better off than they were three years ago? The answer is clearly no,” Khalilzad wrote.

He said Pakistan’s economy was facing an “unsustainable” crisis, with the government struggling to secure financial assistance. He also pointed to worsening security conditions, saying Balochistan was experiencing a major insurgency, while Pakistan-administered Kashmir and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were also facing violence.

Khalilzad further argued that Pakistan’s foreign relations had suffered setbacks, particularly with Afghanistan and India.

“Overall, the situation is dire and a reset is required,” he said, adding that such a reset should include “internal reconciliation.”

Imran Khan, Pakistan’s former prime minister and leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, has been imprisoned since August 2023 after being convicted in several cases, which his supporters describe as politically motivated. Pakistani authorities have rejected those claims.