Fawzia Koofi, a former member of Afghanistan’s House of Representatives, has strongly criticised Zalmay Khalilzad, the former U.S. special envoy to Afghanistan, accusing him of siding with the Taliban and betraying the Afghan people.
In a pointed message posted on X (formerly Twitter), Koofi stated, “No individual, group, or country played a more decisive role than you in the collapse of the Afghan Republic. There is no doubt that the Taliban were supported by Pakistan, but using the power entrusted to you, you handed Afghanistan over to them.”
She accused Khalilzad of continuing to support and “whitewash the Taliban’s discriminatory practices,” arguing that his recent remarks further distance him from the Afghan people and universal human values.
“For us now, you represent no one but the Taliban,” Koofi declared.
Her response came after Khalilzad criticised Pakistan in a recent post on X, following Islamabad’s official statement on Afghanistan. The former U.S. diplomat alleged that Pakistan has long supported groups responsible for instability in Afghanistan.
“In Pakistan, the military holds the real power, their most popular leader, Imran Khan, has been jailed, and sham elections have taken place,” Khalilzad wrote. “Rather than offering unsolicited advice to others, Pakistan’s leaders should focus on resolving the ongoing insurgencies in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.”
Koofi’s remarks reflect growing frustration among Afghan political voices who accuse Khalilzad of facilitating the Taliban’s return to power through the controversial Doha Agreement, which many believe undermined the former Afghan government and paved the way for its collapse.
