Zalmay Khalilzad, the former U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan, has issued a message to Afghan political figures and government opponents against joining a planned conference in Pakistan. In a post on X, he stated that the event is being organized by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), which, in his words, “does not want an independent and united Afghanistan.”
Khalilzad called into question the motives behind the event, asking: “Do you know who is backing this conference? Are you aware of their true aims? In its current form, this gathering is not an appropriate forum for patriotic Afghans.”
He stressed that Pakistan undermines Afghanistan’s interests, cautioning that those attending such meetings opposing the country could be seen as aligned with the ISI.
Reports suggest that Pakistani intelligence agencies are arranging for a group of Afghan government opponents and former political figures to convene a conference in Pakistan by the end of this month.
These moves have drawn widespread criticism within Afghanistan and globally, with many describing them as overt support for Afghan opposition groups and blatant interference in the country’s internal affairs.