Khalilzad: Deobandi Reception of Muttaqi Sparks New Regional Tensions

DID Press: Former U.S. diplomat Zalmay Khalilzad claimed that the visit of Amir Khan Muttaqi, acting foreign minister of the Taliban government, to India — and his warm welcome by Deobandi clerics — has agitated Islamabad and ISIS affiliates. He warned that any alignment between Pakistan and ISIS would be a strategic mistake and urged Washington to play a more active role in curbing regional tensions.

In his latest post on X social media platform, Khalilzad said that Muttaqi’s trip to India had stirred wide reactions across the region. According to him, the enthusiastic reception of the Taliban foreign minister by scholars of the Islamic seminary in Deoband signaled growing ties between the Taliban and India’s religious circles — a move that has reportedly enraged Pakistan’s security establishment and ISIS.

Khalilzad claimed that ISIS, in a newly released audio message, condemned the Taliban for getting close to “Hindus and Christians,” calling it an insult to more than 200 million Muslims living in India.

Referring to the rising border and verbal clashes between Kabul and Islamabad, he added: “Afghanistan and Pakistan must use diplomacy to de-escalate tensions and prevent cross-border attacks. Cooperation between the two countries in combating ISIS is not only necessary but essential for regional stability.”

Khalilzad also called on the U.S. government to step in and help manage the growing rift between Kabul and Islamabad, warning that “any potential alignment between Pakistan and ISIS would be a dangerous and irrational move.”

In another part of his remarks, Khalilzad accused Pakistan of “policy hypocrisy,” saying: “Instead of lecturing others, Islamabad should focus on its internal crises — including insurgencies in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.”

Although Khalilzad no longer holds an official position, he has continued to advocate reducing Taliban government’s international isolation and increasing its political legitimacy. Political sources say he has also played a behind-the-scenes role in negotiations for the release of American prisoners in exchange for removing Sirajuddin Haqqani’s name from terrorist list.