Afghanistan is our neighboring Islamic country. Attacks on Afghanistan by Pakistan are deeply concerning and beyond understanding.
It is no secret that some time ago, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with former U.S. President Donald Trump, during which Trump stated that he wanted Afghanistan’s Bagram Airbase. Since then, a series of conflicts with Afghanistan has begun, and attacks are being carried out inside Afghanistan from Pakistan.
There has never been a war between #Afghanistan and #Pakistan. When Afghans started fighting against the Soviet Union’s presence in Afghanistan in 1979, it was not Pakistan’s war. However, for the interests of external powers, this conflict was labeled as “jihad,” and its center was shifted from Afghanistan to Pakistan. Afghan fighters were trained, armed, and supported against the Soviet Union. Pakistan’s tribal areas were selected for this purpose. Religious seminaries promoting jihad were established across Pakistan. Religious scholars issued fatwas encouraging participation in the Afghan jihad. Camps were set up across the country by religious groups, inviting people to join the fight in Afghanistan. Volunteers were registered, trained, and sent to fight against the Soviet Union. Large amounts of dollars were provided for this purpose. Although it was not Pakistan’s war, the country was pushed into it for the interests of foreign powers and turned into a base for that conflict.
Today, once again, Pakistan is being used as a base for wars serving foreign interests, and attacks are being carried out on Afghanistan. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s media is broadcasting sensational breaking news on the matter.
I appeal to Pakistan’s rulers: even the United States and Western powers fought in Afghanistan for many years but ultimately had to withdraw. Now Pakistan is engaging in conflict with Afghanistan. I urge the leadership not to wage war against a neighboring Islamic country, not to carry out attacks, and not to fight wars for the interests of foreign powers. How long will we continue fighting others’ battles and harming ourselves?
For God’s sake, learn from Europe. After years of devastating wars that killed millions, European nations eventually chose peace, ended conflicts, and built better relationships with one another instead of fighting. You should also resolve issues with Afghanistan through dialogue rather than conflict and establish better relations.
On one hand, Afghan residents are being expelled from Pakistan’s tribal areas and sent back to Afghanistan in trucks, not even being allowed to stay. On the other hand, Afghan nationals running large businesses in Karachi are allowed to live freely and conduct business without restriction. I invite government and military officials to visit Karachi themselves and see who is running major businesses there. If Afghan nationals were to be sent back, it should have been done after the Afghan war ended. But now, after they have lived here for 40 years, they are being deported.
I believe that Afghanistan is our neighboring country, and war with it is not justified under any circumstances. Therefore, I urge people in Pakistan and abroad to raise their voices against attacks on Afghanistan. At this time, Pakistan needs peace, stability, and unity.
— Altaf Hussain
Address from his 389th study circle on TikTok
March 16, 2026
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