Former U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, says reports have emerged alleging that senior Pakistani military leaders have allowed Iranian military aircraft to be stationed covertly at a Pakistani airbase, reportedly to protect them from potential U.S. strikes.
Khalilzad says that if these reports are confirmed, it would not be surprising. According to him, Pakistan has for decades simultaneously cooperated with the United States while also supporting groups and actors opposed to U.S. interests.
He further states that Pakistan had pledged not to develop nuclear weapons in cooperation with the United States, but in practice continued its nuclear program in secret. He also claims that after 9/11, Pakistan cooperated with the United States in Afghanistan while at the same time supporting armed groups opposed to U.S. forces.
Khalilzad adds that the leader of al-Qaeda allegedly lived for years in Pakistan, near a major military academy in the country. He notes that U.S. special forces later conducted an operation there and killed Osama bin Laden.
Meanwhile, some political analysts believe that Pakistan has long pursued a dual-track foreign policy in the region and globally. According to them, this approach has not only contributed to regional instability but in some cases has also posed serious risks to international security.
