Pakistan seeks partnership with US over terror threats in Afghanistan: Khalilzad

Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff, General Asim Munir, is offering U.S. officials a renewed partnership to help manage terrorism threats emanating from Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, former US special envoy for Afghan peace, said on Wednesday.

U.S. President Donald Trump hosted Munir at the White House on Wednesday, in an unprecedented meeting that risked worsening a disagreement with India over the president’s claim that he stopped the recent war between the nuclear-armed South Asian foes.

Khalilzad in a post on X highlighted Munir’s possible agenda.

One was to get Trump “subcontract the protection of US interests in Afghanistan, including on terror, to the Pakistani military.”

However, he asserted that that Pakistani military cannot be trusted as it has long played a double game with the United States.

“President Trump knows that the Pakistani military has long played a double game with us. During the years of our military presence in Afghanistan, Pakistan took our assistance and at the same time provided support and sanctuary to those who were killing our forces. Similarly, during the war on terror after 9/11, the Pakistani military selectively helped both us and the al-Qaida terrorists. Where did we find Bin Laden? All cozy in Pakistan near one of Pakistan’s military facilities. And Pakistan still holds Dr. Afridi who helped us find and eliminate Bin Laden,” Khalilzad said.

“Bottom line: Gen Asim Munir can not be trusted,” he added.