Zalmay Khalilzad, the former U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation, has warned that dissolving the provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa could lead to greater instability in Pakistan and strengthen Pashtun separatist movements.
In a series of statements, Khalilzad wrote that such an action would likely damage Pakistan's international credibility, particularly in the West. He added that Pakistan is already classified as an "authoritarian regime" in the global democracy index.
According to the former U.S. diplomat, political instability in Pakistan could create an opportunity for the country's regional rivals to increase their support for opposition groups. This would, in turn, intensify the existing pressures on the Pakistani military.
These comments come amidst rising tensions between Pakistan's central government and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, which is controlled by Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. The central government in Islamabad has been exploring ways to curtail the power of its political opponents in the key province.
Khalilzad described the current situation as a "crisis" and called on Imran Khan, his supporters, and other democratic groups in Pakistan to adopt an effective strategy to counter the circumstances.
He emphasized that any move to suspend an elected government and expand military influence in an alienated Pashtun region risks further eroding public trust and exacerbating underlying grievances. Instead of resolving the crisis, such a move could deepen it.
Source: Statements by Zalmay Khalilzad
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