Khalilzad Urges Continued Mediation Between Kabul and Islamabad

Zalmay Khalilzad, former U.S. envoy for Afghan peace, has called for the continuation of mediation efforts between Kabul and Islamabad, led by Turkey and Qatar. Expressing concern over the failure of talks between the two capitals, he stressed the importance of maintaining momentum in the dialogue process.

Khalilzad said that Pakistan’s sheltering of anti-Taliban opposition groups is one of the key sources of distrust and tension between the two nations—an issue that is also well-known internationally.

He urged the governments of Turkey and Qatar to ensure both sides commit to a basic principle: refraining from using each other’s territory to threaten one another’s security. He also emphasized the need for a clearly defined violation framework and the establishment of a reliable monitoring mechanism.

While acknowledging that reaching such an agreement would be difficult, Khalilzad asserted it is necessary. In his view, Pakistan must adopt a realistic perspective, and the Taliban-led administration in Kabul should cooperate to help secure peace and ease tensions.

Currently, relations between Kabul and Islamabad are at one of their most challenging points, strained by cross-border attacks, the presence of armed groups in frontier regions, and a lack of transparency in security cooperation.