WASHINGTON — Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US special envoy for Afghanistan, has said that he is concerned that Pakistan might be using the expulsion of Afghan refugees as a cover to infiltrate ISIS (Daesh) fighters into Afghanistan.
In a post on X on Wednesday, April 16, Khalilzad said: “Knowledgeable people tell me that they are concerned that the Pakistan establishment might well be using the expulsion of Afghan refugees as a cover to send ISIS terrorists to Afghanistan. I share this concern.”
His remarks come as Pakistan continues the second phase of its campaign to deport Afghan nationals, a move that has drawn condemnation from international rights groups and humanitarian organizations. The International Committee of the Red Cross recently warned that forced deportations could destabilize Afghanistan’s already fragile social and economic fabric.
Khalilzad’s statement contrasts with the narrative from Pakistani officials, who have repeatedly accused the Taliban of harboring militant groups including the Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K) and Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) within Afghan territory. Islamabad has called on the Taliban to take decisive action against these groups.
The Taliban, for their part, have consistently denied the presence of terrorist organizations in Afghanistan. Instead, they claim that ISIS-K operates from areas inside Pakistan’s Balochistan Province and uses that territory to coordinate attacks.
The allegations and counter-allegations come amid deteriorating relations between Islamabad and the Taliban, marked by deadly cross-border attacks, airstrikes, and increased pressure on Afghan refugees living in Pakistan.
