As an Islamabad-based research institute prepared to host Afghan leaders and women activists this week to discuss regional peace and stability, an unexpected rebuke came from Zalmay Khalilzad, the former United States Special Representative for Afghanistan. Khalilzad urged Pakistan not to host the meeting, objecting to the presence of Afghan exiles opposed to the Taliban, including some who support the violent overthrow of their rule. While this was merely an informal gathering arranged by a think tank—not a government-sponsored initiative—such a sharp rejection reveals much about the Taliban’s mindset.
The Taliban, in their present form, have no interest in allowing an alternative system of governance, alternative formulations of rights and freedoms, or even an alternative group of leaders to take shape beyond their control. They especially resist the idea of such a platform emerging in Pakistan—a country with a larger Pashtun population than Afghanistan itself and one that has historically exerted deep influence on Afghan affairs. Yet both Pakistan and the organisers have clarified that this was only an academic exercise, with no political intent or official endorsement of any Afghan faction.
The reality remains that such academic gatherings cannot be held within Afghanistan, particularly given the Taliban’s harsh restrictions on women’s participation in public life. Pakistan, therefore, becomes the only viable venue for such discussions. Pakistan’s interests are not only tied to its own security but also to the welfare of Afghan women and the wider hope of a stable, inclusive Afghanistan. It must therefore retain the freedom to facilitate dialogue and take steps that can lead to a safer, more constructive future for the entire region.
At the same time, Islamabad continues to press the Taliban to act more decisively against groups like the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, the Balochistan Liberation Army, and other dissidents who use Afghan soil as safe havens. So far, however, the two sides remain far apart on achieving any genuine cooperation.