Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, leader of the Islamic Party of Afghanistan, has urged Pakistan to adopt a “new, constructive, and lasting” policy toward Afghanistan amid growing tensions between Islamabad and the Taliban.
In a statement shared on X by his son, Habibur Rahman Hekmatyar, the former Afghan prime minister criticised Pakistan’s recent threats of military action, calling on the country’s parliament and people to prevent “irresponsible statements” that could have “serious consequences.”
Hekmatyar condemned what he described as the “silence” of Pakistani lawmakers in the face of escalating rhetoric and said the current tensions between the Taliban and Pakistan were “exactly what India wants to happen.”
He said that attacks by insurgent groups in Pakistan began when NATO forces were still in Afghanistan. He alleged that the United States had allowed India to “train and support Pakistan’s armed opponents” in Afghanistan.
He said that “two Muslim neighbours are on the brink of a dangerous war,” while “millions of refugees are being expelled with humiliation and their homes bulldozed.” Hekmatyar called such actions “contrary to compassion, decency, and human ethics.”
He questioned why Pakistan’s parliament has “failed to take a clear and firm stance on this sensitive situation” and prevent further escalation.
Hekmatyar expressed hope that Islamabad would adopt a policy based on “mutual respect and non-interference” and that both countries could resolve disputes “fairly, rationally, and with patience and wisdom.”
His remarks came after Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif warned that if the ongoing talks between Islamabad and the Taliban failed, Pakistan could enter an “open war” with Afghanistan.
Taliban-affiliated media and Reuters, citing Pakistani security sources, reported on Tuesday that the Istanbul talks between the Afghan Taliban and Pakistan ended without an agreement. Neither side has issued an official statement on the outcome.
