Khalilzad says Pakistan’s ‘double game’ on Afghanistan must end

Zalmay Khalilzad, the former U.S. special envoy for Afghanistan, said experience over the past 30 years shows there has been a deep gap between Pakistan’s stated support and its practical actions toward armed groups linked to Afghanistan.

In a post on the social media platform X, he referred to the period when U.S. forces were engaged in the war in Afghanistan and said Islamabad provided shelter and support to fighters who were battling the United States, although Pakistan has consistently denied this.

Khalilzad added that this “double game” must end and that the time has come to begin a new phase.

According to him, Afghanistan and Pakistan need economic cooperation and development, and both countries must accept that their territory should not be used to threaten each other’s security.

Zalmay Khalilzad is a well-known figure in U.S. foreign policy on Afghanistan and has repeatedly commented in recent years on Afghanistan-Pakistan relations and Islamabad’s role in the country’s security developments.