Former U.S. Special Envoy for Afghanistan Peace Zalmay Khalilzad warned that Pakistan's airstrikes on Kabul risk triggering a broader conflict, describing the operation as a failure and urging diplomacy to prevent further escalation.

“Pakistan's attack against the capital of Afghanistan appears to have been a failure,” Khalilzad wrote in a post on X on Saturday.“It seems that the person who was targeted may not have been in Kabul at all. What might Islamabad do next? More attacks? Pakistani aircraft have been flying over Kabul breaking the sound barrier. Afghans are also preparing for a response. Some leaders are pushing for immediate retaliation. The probability of conflict and wider instability is on the rise.”

The former U.S. diplomat, who brokered the 2020 U.S.-Taliban peace agreement, said that“at times when crises heat up, diplomacy can come to the rescue.” He noted that Pakistan's defense minister and intelligence chief had signaled interest in visiting Kabul but questioned their intent.“Does this indicate a desire by Pakistan for negotiations with Afghanistan – or, more importantly, with the TTP? I am doubtful,” he wrote.

Khalilzad also criticized Pakistan's internal political turmoil, linking it to the country's growing insecurity.“When Imran Khan was leading Pakistan, he engaged in negotiations, and a ceasefire was achieved,” he said.“If Imran Khan had not been overthrown and jailed on trumped-up charges, the deal with the TTP probably would have gone forward, and thousands of Pakistani lives would have been saved. Pakistan would not be a mess and heading towards becoming a failed state with growing insurgency and terror.”

He added that“it is not too late for the establishment in Islamabad to embrace diplomacy,” but cautioned that he was“not optimistic.” Khalilzad said that preventing further escalation would require“pressure and engagement with the Pakistani establishment by countries with influence to avert a wider conflict.”

His comments came two days after Pakistani fighter jets carried out airstrikes in Kabul and Paktika, reportedly targeting Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) leader Noor Wali Mehsud. Neither Islamabad nor the Taliban government has confirmed the outcome.

The Taliban condemned the strikes as a“violation of Afghanistan's airspace,” while Pakistani officials have defended recent operations as legitimate counterterrorism actions.

Analysts say Khalilzad's warning reflects growing international concern that continued cross-border attacks and retaliatory threats could destabilize relations between Islamabad and Kabul.

They caution that without renewed dialogue, both countries risk being drawn into a prolonged confrontation that could undermine regional security and complicate counterterrorism efforts across South Asia.

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