Khalilzad Criticizes Pakistan's Military Leadership Over Afghanistan Analysis, Calls for Diplomacy Amid Airstrikes

Zalmay Khalilzad, former U.S. special representative for Afghanistan peace, stated in a recent interview that Pakistan's military leadership has an incorrect analysis of Afghanistan and believes it can impose its demands by force. He referred to recent Pakistani army attacks on Afghan soil, saying Pakistan's demands from Afghanistan are so unreasonable that its government is ashamed to raise them publicly.

Khalilzad warned that Afghans are concerned about the presence of ISIS-Khorasan in Pakistan and urged that this worry be taken seriously. He described diplomacy as the best solution for resolving disputes between Kabul and Islamabad, noting that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is ready to reach an agreement with Pakistan to prevent the use of each other's territory against one another. He called Pakistani attacks on Afghan soil unacceptable and labeled Pakistan a "criminal" in this regard, emphasizing dialogue and diplomacy to reduce tensions.

Afghanistan's Ministry of Defense announced that its air forces conducted effective strikes on Sunday on several key Pakistani military sites, including Noorkhan base in Rawalpindi, the 12th Corps in Quetta, Balochistan, Khwizo camp in Mohmand Agency, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and military positions in Ghazni. The ministry stated these actions responded to Pakistani air violations targeting Kabul, Bagram, and other areas the previous night and today. It warned that any further violations of Afghan airspace would face severe retaliation.

Hamdullah Fitrat, deputy spokesman for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, reported that overnight Pakistani strikes hit residential areas in Nangarhar and Paktia provinces, killing and wounding civilians. In Ghanikhel district, Nangarhar, drone attacks around 11 p.m. destroyed four homes, killing two people including a woman.

Separately, former Afghan President Hamid Karzai and former High Council for National Reconciliation chief Abdullah Abdullah expressed condolences over the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, family members, and others in reported U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iranian cities Saturday.