Former U.S. envoy Zalmay Khalilzad warned that Pakistani strikes against Afghanistan’s capital represented a “huge escalation” and posed dangerous risks, cautioning that military confrontation between the two countries could lead to increased death and destruction.
In a post on X, Khalilzad said, “Today’s Pakistani strikes against Afghanistan’s capital are a huge escalation and pose dangerous risks. In recent days, Taliban operatives have been active in Pakistan, attacking ISIS and killing a number of its leaders.
The Pakistanis have been recklessly backing ISIS operatives against Afghanistan and their own Baluch nationalist insurgency. The Afghans, in turn, have been permissive towards the TTP, the Pakistani Taliban.”
He added, “Military escalation between Pakistan and Afghanistan is not the answer. It is unlikely to work and will increase death and destruction in both countries.
There is an alternative with better prospects: negotiations between Kabul and Islamabad to deal with the terrorist sanctuaries on both sides of the Durand Line. #USA”
Earlier on Thursday, an Afghanistan spokesperson, Zabihullah, said that an explosion was heard in Kabul; however, no reports of damage have emerged so far, and investigations are underway.
On October 10, Dawn reported that Pakistan’s Defence Minister, Khawaja Asif, told the National Assembly that “collateral damage” cannot be ruled out in response if Pakistani security forces come under attack and added that “enough is enough.”
The escalation by Pakistan comes against the backdrop of Afghanistan’s acting Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, arriving in New Delhi on Thursday for a week-long visit to India.
Muttaqi’s visit marks the first high-level delegation from Kabul to New Delhi since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021. This is the second Taliban government in Afghanistan since 1996.
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The Taliban government on Friday blamed Pakistan for striking the Afghan capital and bombing a market in the country’s east, accusing its neighbor of violating national airspace.
A blast struck before 10 p.m. local time on Thursday in the Abdul Haq Square area of Kabul, close to several ministries and the national intelligence agency. Security forces sealed off the site.
The government’s chief spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said at the time that there were no reports of injuries or damage. He described the explosion as an accident and said an investigation was underway.
But Afghanistan’s Defense Ministry said Friday that Pakistan was responsible for that attack and for another, in the eastern province of Paktika.
Afghan’s Defense Ministry didn’t say what the source of the bombing was or how Pakistan was able to carry out a strike in an urban center without being shot down.
Pakistan has, in the past, launched strikes inside Afghan territory to target what it says are militant hideouts and installations.
Pakistani Army spokesman Ahmad Sharif was asked at a news conference Friday if the military had attacked Afghanistan to target leaders of the banned Pakistani Taliban group. Sharif didn’t give a direct answer to the question.
(with agency input)