Former Pakistani Officer Blames Army Policies for Country’s Security Crisis
Adil Raja, a former Pakistani army officer, has attributed the country’s security crisis to decades of misguided military policies, stating that the responsibility cannot be solely placed on Afghanistan. According to Tasnim News Agency, the political analyst responded to remarks by Pakistan’s Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, about Afghanistan by accusing the military establishment of adopting double-faced policies. In recent weeks, Dar has repeatedly held the Taliban administration and Afghan soil responsible for combating militant groups active against Pakistan. Raja criticized Pakistan army’s proxy policies and the so-called “strategic depth” doctrine, asserting that attacks by the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan on civilians and security forces are unacceptable and must stop. He also called for an end to Pakistan’s cross-border assaults in Afghanistan and the killing of Afghan civilians. The former officer questioned who would hold Pakistani generals accountable for the consequences of decisions made over several decades. He claimed that Islamabad cannot play a role in destabilizing neighboring countries for years and then lecture them about regional stability. Raja identified the military establishment based in Rawalpindi as the root cause of the crisis and said this institution refuses to accept the consequences of its past policies. In his view, Pakistan needs a fundamental change in its security doctrine rather than repeating Ishaq Dar’s statements against Afghanistan. Since the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan in August 2021, Pakistan-Taliban relations have faced escalating security tensions. Islamabad has repeatedly accused the Taliban administration of providing safe haven to members of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, but the Taliban has denied these allegations, insisting that Pakistan’s security crisis is an internal issue.
