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Khalilzad says Pakistan’s leadership misjudges Afghanistan, urges diplomacy
Khalilzad stated: “Pakistan’s demands from Afghanistan are so unreasonable that even the government of Pakistan is embarrassed to articulate them.”
Former US special envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad has criticised Pakistan’s military leadership, saying it fundamentally misreads Afghanistan and wrongly assumes it can force Kabul to accept its demands through military pressure.
Khalilzad stated: “Pakistan’s demands from Afghanistan are so unreasonable that even the government of Pakistan is embarrassed to articulate them.”
His remarks come amid renewed tensions following Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan territory, which Kabul has condemned as violations of its sovereignty.
Khalilzad, who served as Washington’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation and played a central role in negotiations leading to the 2020 Doha agreement between the United States and the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, argued that the current trajectory risks deepening instability in both countries.
He maintained that coercion would not produce lasting security outcomes.
According to Khalilzad, regional security threats are mutual and require coordinated responses rather than unilateral action.
Tensions between Kabul and Islamabad have escalated in recent months over accusations that armed groups operate from each other’s territory. Pakistan has repeatedly blamed Afghan-based militants for attacks inside its boundaries, while Afghan authorities have accused Pakistan of breaching international norms through strikes.
Khalilzad said diplomacy remains the most viable path forward. He noted that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has expressed readiness to reach a bilateral understanding that would prevent either country’s territory from being used against the other.
“The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is ready to reach an agreement with Pakistan to prevent the use of each country’s territory against the other,” he said.
Concluding his remarks, Khalilzad described Pakistan as responsible for the latest escalation and urged both sides to return to dialogue, stressing that sustained diplomatic engagement — rather than force — offers the best chance of reducing tensions and promoting regional stability.