In response to recent comments by Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif, who described his country’s involvement in Afghanistan’s wars as a mistake and stated that Pakistan had effectively “rented itself” to the United States following the September 11 attacks, former U.S. Special Representative for Afghan Peace Zalmay Khalilzad has weighed in critically.
Kabul 24: Khalilzad, who served as the U.S. envoy for reconciliation in Afghanistan, referred to Asif’s parliamentary remarks and asserted that Pakistan had indeed “rented” itself to America after 9/11. In exchange for cooperating with U.S. operations in Afghanistan, Pakistan received substantial military and financial aid from Washington.
However, Khalilzad highlighted what he described as a contradictory policy: while benefiting from American support, Pakistan simultaneously provided safe havens and shelter to individuals and groups fighting against U.S. and allied forces in Afghanistan.
He emphasized the need to clarify whether this approach constituted a deliberate “double game,” in which Pakistan pursued opposing interests at the same time.
Khalilzad further questioned if, in return for offering refuge to anti-U.S. fighters, Pakistani authorities had also received benefits, concessions, or “rent” from another power hostile to American objectives.These remarks underscore longstanding accusations of strategic ambiguity in Pakistan’s role during the U.S.-led war on terror.
Asif’s admission in parliament—that Pakistan aligned itself with the U.S. in the fight against terrorism but later felt exploited—has sparked debate about the transactional nature of the relationship and its regional consequences.Khalilzad’s intervention points to unresolved questions about accountability, transparency, and the true motivations behind Pakistan’s policies in Afghanistan over the past two decades.
He suggested that addressing these issues openly could shed light on the broader dynamics of regional security and international alliances during that period.
