Islamabad rejects Zalmay Khalilzad's accusations of arming Afghans, cites UN reports
Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting described the accusations as lacking evidence and stressed that operations against militant groups were launched in response to threats from areas under Taliban control.
The government of Pakistan officially announced its categorical rejection of what was attributed to former U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad — accusations alleging the arming of former Afghan fighters to fight against the Taliban and allied militant factions.
In a statement responding to those allegations, Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said the accusations "are not based on evidence" and are intended to serve a partisan political agenda, stressing that Pakistan’s operations against militant groups are aimed at countering threats emanating from areas under Taliban control and should not be confused with claims of supporting or recruiting Afghan citizens inside Afghanistan.
The ministry added that United Nations monitoring teams have issued successive reports documenting the continued presence and activity of terrorist organizations within Afghan territory, including an armed faction linked to Pakistan and al-Qaeda.
Islamabad's statement comes at a time when tensions with Kabul are escalating, with the two capitals exchanging accusations over militant activity across the border and concerns that the security confrontation between the two countries could widen.
