Former President Hamid Karzai has strongly condemned Pakistan’s recent airstrikes on Afghanistan’s eastern provinces of Khost and Nangarhar, which killed three civilians, including women and children, saying that Pakistan is now “grappling with the consequences of its misguided regional policies.”
In a post on X, Karzai called the airstrikes “a blatant violation of Afghanistan’s national sovereignty.” and said the attacks contravene international norms and principles of good neighborly relations.
“Pakistan is now grappling with the consequences of its misguided regional policies,” Karzai said. “Violating Afghanistan’s sovereignty and attacking its people will not save Pakistan from the outcomes of these policies.”
He added that Pakistan’s best path forward is to build “civilized relations” with Afghanistan and fully respect international laws and the rights of neighboring countries.
Pakistani officials have yet to respond to Karzai’s remarks.
The Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Thursday it had summoned Pakistan’s ambassador in Kabul to deliver a formal protest over the airstrikes. The ministry confirmed that the Pakistani military carried out air raids overnight on parts of Khost and Nangarhar, killing three civilians and injuring seven others.
The Taliban condemned the attacks as a violation of Afghanistan’s airspace and a “clear breach of territorial integrity and a provocative act.”
The strikes come amid ongoing tension between the two countries. Pakistan has repeatedly raised concerns over the presence of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) fighters in Afghanistan and has urged the Taliban to take action against them.
