Pakistani Army Chief's Provocative Remarks About Afghanistan Garner Criticism From Afghans

Hanif Atmar, former Afghan Foreign Minister, criticised Pakistan's Army Chief's statement that one Pakistani life is more important than the entirety of Afghanistan, terming it as irresponsible and deeply concerning.

Rahmatullah Nabil, former intelligence chief of Afghanistan, identified Pakistan as Afghanistan's "historic enemy," stating that General Asim Munir's remarks reflect Islamabad's long-term policy towards Afghanistan.

In a gathering with students, Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff declared, "The life of one Pakistani is more important than the whole of Afghanistan." This statement has sparked widespread criticism from Afghan political figures and the general public on social media. However, there has been no official response from the Taliban.

Atmar, in his reaction, stressed that given the Army Chief's significant influence in Pakistan's internal and foreign policies, his comments should be a serious concern for Afghanistan, its neighbours, and the international community. Atmar interpreted Munir's remarks as a combination of covert and overt threats and an overt incitement of anti-Afghan sentiments among Pakistanis.

Atmar labelled parts of Munir's speech as deceitful and dangerous, particularly the accusation that Afghanistan has long supported the insurgency in Balochistan and has never been friendly towards Pakistan. He refuted these claims, stating that the Afghan people have never intended to harm Pakistan and have always been deeply grateful for the support of Pakistani people during their displacement.

He warned of the significant implications these statements could have on Afghanistan-Pakistan relations and the broader regional context.

Rahmatullah Nabil, responding to Munir's comments, indicated that these remarks are not new and represent Pakistan's long-standing approach towards Afghanistan, portraying Pakistan as a 'historic enemy' always trying to destabilise Afghan governments and society.

Masoom Stanekzai, the former chief peace negotiator for the Afghan government, also reacted, recalling his 2018 conversation with Munir in London. He urged Munir to fundamentally change Pakistan's outlook towards Afghanistan, warning of the eventual repercussions of their policies.

Asim Munir's address to Pakistani students included claims that Pakistan has provided sustenance to five million Afghan citizens since the last fifty years and that the Pakistani Army would target anyone threatening Pakistan's citizens. He also accused Afghanistan of supporting the Balochistan insurgency and never being a friendly neighbour to Pakistan.

These remarks from Pakistan's Army Chief underscore the deep-seated dissatisfaction among Pakistani officials with the Taliban. The relationship between Islamabad and the Taliban-controlled Kabul has worsened due to increasing insecurities in Pakistan since the Taliban's ascent. Pakistani authorities blame the Taliban for providing safe havens to anti-Taliban militants like the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and allege their involvement in recent attacks against Pakistani forces. However, Taliban spokespersons have consistently refuted these claims, accusing Islamabad of projecting its security failures onto the Taliban.