Imran Khan proposes peace delegation to Afghanistan amid rising border tensions

Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has called for Islamabad to send a peace delegation to Afghanistan to address mounting tensions between the two countries, warning that military operations alone will not bring stability to the region.

In a message shared from prison through his official X account, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief proposed that the delegation be led by veteran Pashtun politician Mahmood Khan Achakzai.

Khan argued that sustainable peace requires dialogue among three key actors: Pakistan’s tribal communities, the Afghan government, and the Afghan people.

“Without the support of these three parties, no military operation or solution can succeed,” Khan said, urging political unity to confront the region’s security challenges.

The former premier also criticized ongoing military operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, describing them as politically motivated attempts to undermine his party’s provincial government. He warned that such campaigns fuel militancy and weaken governance.

Khan further accused Pakistan’s Army Chief, General Asim Munir, of damaging bilateral relations with Afghanistan in order to appease Western powers. He alleged that a “false flag” narrative is being built against Afghans and Pakistan’s tribal population, deepening mistrust on both sides of the border.

The PTI leader cited recent developments—including the expulsion of Afghan refugees, cross-border clashes, and fresh military operations in tribal districts—as evidence of a deteriorating relationship between Islamabad and Kabul.

“Peace cannot be achieved through force. It comes only through dialogue,” he stressed, calling for an urgent joint meeting of provincial and national lawmakers from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to seek a peaceful path forward.

Khan’s proposal comes at a time when Pakistan-Afghanistan ties are at a low point, strained by recurring border incidents, Islamabad’s accusations of Kabul harboring militants, and the humanitarian fallout of refugee deportations.

Afghanistan’s Islamic Emirate government has not yet commented on this development.