KABUL: Abdullah Khan, head of Pakistan’s Institute of Conflict and Security Studies (ICSS), has called for a national debate on Islamabad’s current policy toward Afghanistan, warning that Pakistan’s hardline approach could be pushing the Afghan public further away from Pakistan rather than weakening the Islamic Emirate.
Khan criticized Pakistan’s policy of returning Afghan nationals, particularly women who are studying or working in Pakistan. He said that if Islamabad’s concerns are with the Islamic Emirate, it should avoid measures that could turn the Afghan population against Pakistan.
He stressed that Pakistan’s Afghanistan policy should be based on the country’s national interests, security and the protection of the lives of Pakistani security personnel.
According to Khan, Pakistan’s current hardline approach could ultimately prove detrimental to its own interests and security.