Khalilzad Accuses Pakistan of Playing ‘Double Game’ Amid Iran-US Tensions

Former US special envoy for Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, has sharply criticized Pakistan’s regional policies, accusing Islamabad of continuing what he described as a decades-long “double game” in its dealings with the United States amid rising tensions between Iran and the United States.

In a statement posted on social media, Khalilzad alleged that Pakistan’s military leadership may have quietly allowed Iranian military aircraft to use Pakistani airfields in an effort to shield them from possible US military action. While he acknowledged that the reports remain unverified, he argued that if confirmed, such cooperation would reflect a familiar pattern in Islamabad’s strategic behavior.

“Working simultaneously with and against the US has been a pattern of Pakistani policies for the last 40 years,” Khalilzad wrote, suggesting that Pakistan has repeatedly sought to balance public cooperation with Washington while pursuing policies that often run counter to American interests.

Khalilzad pointed to several historical examples to support his accusation. He noted longstanding allegations that Pakistan privately assured US officials it would refrain from developing nuclear weapons while covertly advancing its nuclear program. He also accused Islamabad of presenting itself as a key ally in the US-led “war on terror” after the September 11 attacks, while elements within Pakistan allegedly maintained ties with militant groups fighting American and NATO forces in neighboring Afghanistan.

The former diplomat also referenced the 2011 killing of Osama bin Laden, emphasizing that the al-Qaeda leader had been living for years in Abbottabad, a Pakistani garrison city located near one of the country’s premier military academies, before being killed in a covert raid by US special forces. The discovery raised serious questions at the time about whether Pakistani authorities were aware of his presence.

Khalilzad’s remarks come at a particularly sensitive moment, as diplomatic and military tensions between Iran and Washington continue to escalate, raising concerns about broader regional instability. Pakistan, due to its strategic geographic position and longstanding ties with both the United States and regional powers including Iran and China, is increasingly viewed as a pivotal actor in shaping the evolving security landscape.

Analysts note that Islamabad has historically sought to maintain a delicate balancing act between major global and regional powers, often attempting to preserve its strategic flexibility while avoiding direct alignment in major geopolitical confrontations.

Pakistani authorities have not publicly responded to Khalilzad’s latest allegations. However, his comments are likely to reignite debate over Pakistan’s role in regional security affairs and its often complicated relationship with Washington, which has alternated between close cooperation and deep mistrust over the past four decades.

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