ISLAMABAD: The information ministry rejected former United States envoy Zalmay Khalilzad’s allegations that Islamabad was arming Afghan nationals against the Taliban, describing his claims as “baseless and misleading”.
The former diplomat also warned that relations between Islamabad and Kabul were likely to deteriorate further.
The ministry accused Khalilzad of repeating speculative narratives and presenting an account shaped by his personal views.
It rejected any comparison between Pakistan’s counterterrorism operations and allegations of sponsoring armed groups inside Afghanistan.
Pakistan’s security actions address threats posed by terrorist organisations operating from areas controlled by the Afghan Taliban authorities.
It said portraying those operations as the recruitment or arming of Afghan nationals was misleading.
The ministry also reasserted that Pakistan had suffered considerable losses while combating terrorism and protecting regional security.
The statement referred to successive United Nations monitoring reports that, according to the ministry, documented the presence and activities of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan and Al-Qaeda inside Afghanistan.
It argued that Khalilzad’s allegations diverted attention from the Taliban authorities’ responsibility to prevent Afghan territory from being used for attacks against Pakistan.
The ministry also repeated Pakistan’s accusation that militant groups operating against it receive Indian support. That allegation remained an attributed Pakistani government position.
Khalilzad, who helped negotiate the agreement preceding the withdrawal of international forces from Afghanistan, has repeatedly urged Islamabad and Kabul to pursue a negotiated settlement.
His comments have previously drawn objections from Pakistani authorities.
In November last year, the information ministry disputed his claim linking a killing in Punjab to Islamic State-Khorasan, saying the incident concerned a robbery and that no evidence established such a connection.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office also rejected his political suggestions in March 2023. The US State Department subsequently clarified that he did not speak for the administration.
Border Tensions Frame Latest Exchange
The latest exchange comes against strained bilateral relations, with Islamabad repeatedly raising concerns about cross-border terrorism.
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