Author: Ahmad Safi
Since its inception, ISIS has operated as a deviant entity serving the interests of foreign powers—particularly a Western-devised agenda aimed at vilifying and undermining Islam. Its deliberate efforts have sought to portray Islam as a religion of fear and opposition to peace, thereby impeding its natural and swift spread. To advance this objective, the label “ISIS” and its locally compromised recruits have been used as instruments of distortion, casting a shadow over the faith and its followers.
The portrayal of Afghanistan as a covert sanctuary for this extremist faction—frequently echoed in international forums and media reports—is both baseless and misleading. This narrative was orchestrated by American invaders and their global allies, who introduced ISIS into the region as a proxy force under different aliases. Yet, by the grace of Allah, this group suffered a comprehensive defeat in Afghanistan.
In the wake of its collapse, ISIS has resorted to cowardly tactics—most notably, the targeted assassination of leaders and sporadic campaigns of terror. Nonetheless, all credible evidence to date confirms that ISIS is not a homegrown phenomenon. Its strategic direction, logistical support, and leadership structures operate from safe havens outside Afghanistan, predominantly within neighboring countries.
The leadership of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has consistently affirmed that Afghanistan should not be left to bear the burden of this malign threat alone. Rather, confronting ISIS must be recognized as a shared international responsibility. This position has been reiterated over time and recently echoed by prominent former U.S. officials, including Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, who led the American delegation in the Doha peace negotiations.
In a recent statement on his official X (formerly Twitter) account, Khalilzad revealed that he had obtained fresh and credible intelligence indicating the presence of dangerous terrorist networks, including ISIS, within Pakistan. He urged Pakistani authorities to take these threats seriously and to dismantle ISIS hideouts on their soil.
Khalilzad further emphasized that ISIS poses a threat not only to Pakistan but to the entire region and the world. He warned that exploiting terrorism as a tactical tool is a perilous strategy—one that ultimately rebounds upon its architects with devastating consequences.
He also disclosed that in mid-March, Baloch militants launched an assault on an ISIS camp in Mastung, Balochistan, killing 30 ISIS members, including foreign nationals from Uzbekistan, Turkey, India, and Tajikistan. These reports, he confirmed, are accurate and must no longer be ignored by Pakistan’s military and intelligence institutions.
These clarifications came in response to statements by Pakistan’s Defense Minister, who conceded that, with U.S. support and coordination, Pakistan had harbored terrorist groups for decades—a policy for which it now expresses regret.
In light of these revelations, it is incumbent upon Afghanistan’s neighbors and regional powers to adopt a unified and coordinated stance against this transnational menace. If crises of this nature are not preemptively addressed and treated as part of a collective global duty to uphold peace, the isolated efforts of any single nation—even one as resilient as Afghanistan—will be insufficient to eradicate the threat at its roots.
As Pakistan faces mounting international pressure, it must recognize that the era of strategic denial and blame-shifting is nearing its end. The World’s patience is not infinite. Ultimately, Pakistan will be held accountable for its role in sustaining this dangerous game. ISIS serves no nation, no people, and no purpose other than destruction. Now is the time to sever its roots once and for all. Regional and international cooperation must prevail, and the ongoing efforts of the IEA in combating ISIS deserve acknowledgment and respect.
