Zalmay Khalilzad, former U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation, has sharply criticized Pakistan’s plan to host a meeting of exiled Afghan opposition figures on September 3 and 4. He warned that the participants include individuals advocating the use of force to overthrow the Taliban.
Khalilzad called Islamabad’s decision to host the gathering “reckless, provocative, irresponsible, and regrettable.” While acknowledging that the people of Afghanistan have the right to diverse political views, he warned that Pakistan’s involvement would further erode already fragile trust between the two neighbors.
He stated that even if the Taliban were to host a meeting of Pakistanis aiming to topple the Pakistani military government, his stance would remain unchanged.
The upcoming meeting—confirmed by sources speaking to Deeyar—is expected to feature mostly Taliban critics and opposition figures. It comes at a time when Pakistan has strengthened counterterrorism cooperation with the United States and is reportedly seeking new regional alliances to curb the rise of extremist groups.
Islamabad continues to claim that terrorist groups such as Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) operate with impunity from Afghan territory—a claim the Taliban rejects. Nonetheless, Pakistan has conducted frequent military operations near the border and often reports killing TTP fighters “crossing over from Afghanistan.”
As part of efforts to rebuild ties, the Taliban’s foreign minister has recently met with his Pakistani and Chinese counterparts in Beijing. According to Geo News, the three countries are scheduled to hold another trilateral meeting in Kabul on August 20.
Pakistan’s New Pressure Tactics
Observers suggest that Islamabad’s recent mass deportation of hundreds of thousands of Afghanistan’s migrants was also intended to pressure the Taliban. Now, by hosting this opposition summit, Pakistan appears to be wielding yet another lever against its former ally.
On August 13, Pakistan’s Independence Day, Ali Maisam Nazary, head of foreign relations for the Resistance Front, issued a statement of solidarity with Pakistan. “We believe that through mutual cooperation, we can build a better future and usher in a new era of regional partnership,” he said. “We must stand united to resist any group that threatens our shared path to peace and progress.”
His remarks came just one day after a bilateral meeting between Pakistani and U.S. officials on counterterrorism cooperation.
Citing CNN-News18, reports say that the U.S. has asked Pakistan to assist in recovering $7 billion worth of military equipment left behind in Afghanistan, which Islamabad views as a security threat. The U.S. has also pledged to share intelligence to help Pakistan counter cross-border militancy.
The U.S. State Department later confirmed that both sides agreed to intensify efforts against TTP, ISIS-K, and the Baloch Liberation Army. Pakistan maintains that all three groups are operating from within Afghanistan with relative impunity.
