Written by: Abdan Safi
A few days ago, U.S. President Donald Trump, in an address to Congress, announced that Pakistan had arrested Mohammad Sharifullah (also known as Jafar), the alleged mastermind behind the Kabul airport attack, and handed him over to the United States. This announcement reignited global discussions on social media and in various forums regarding Pakistan’s role in counterterrorism. However, the fundamental question remains: Is this arrest truly a significant victory in the fight against terrorism, or is it merely a political maneuver by Pakistan to secure diplomatic advantages?
This is not the first time Pakistan has misled U.S. leadership. Historically, it has consistently deceived American officials by exaggerating its counterterrorism efforts. Following the 9/11 attacks, Pakistan handed over hundreds of Mujahideen to the United States in exchange for billions of dollars in aid. However, it also sold dozens of individuals to the U.S. under the false pretense of them being Mujahideen, despite their lack of any genuine ties to such groups. Former Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf admitted in his book that Pakistan received $5,000 per detainee for these handovers, effectively deceiving the United States.
Once again, Pakistan has handed over an so-called ‘terrorist’ to the U.S., presenting the arrest as a major diplomatic and political victory. In reality, however, this is merely a small piece in a much larger political game.
ISIS-K’s Activities in Pakistan
The real issue is not whether Mohammad Sharifullah has been arrested, but rather how the ISIS-K faction operates with relative freedom within Pakistan. It is an undeniable fact that Pakistan uses ISIS-K as a proxy in Afghanistan, with substantial evidence pointing to its role in facilitating the group’s activities.
When the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) regained power, it launched extensive operations against ISIS, eliminating many of its top leaders. In the aftermath, the remaining ISIS fighters fled Afghanistan and established safe havens in Pakistan, where they continue to plan and organize their operations in a secure environment.
Recent attacks in Afghanistan and the region—including the bank attack in Kandahar, the mosque attack in Baghlan, the bank attack in Kunduz, the assassination of Shaheed Khalil Hajji, and the Kerman attack—were orchestrated from Balochistan. The attackers had received training in facilities located in Balochistan prior to carrying out these operations.
Pakistan’s intelligence agencies, with a longstanding history of collaborating with proxy groups in Kashmir and other regional countries, now view ISIS-K as a tool to advance their strategic interests in Afghanistan.
The activities of this extremist group not only contribute to instability in Afghanistan but also serve as a means for Pakistan to exert pressure on the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.
The Path to Defeating ISIS
If the United States is genuinely committed to defeating ISIS, it must recognize that eradicating ISIS-K requires targeting its safe havens, financial backers, and true supporters, rather than simply capturing low-level members within a vast network.
Pakistan’s Strategic Game
Currently, Pakistan, grappling with severe internal political and economic crises, is seeking opportunities to regain U.S. favor. In the past, it has handed over individuals to the U.S. to bolster its credibility. However, rather than dismantling the structural foundations of terrorism, Pakistan continues to use groups like ISIS as tools to further its strategic objectives.
Pakistan has not abandoned its longstanding tactics. The arrest of Mohammad Sharifullah is merely a continuation of this strategy: first providing safe havens to such individuals and, when the timing aligns with its diplomatic interests, handing them over to the U.S. as a purported major success.
A genuine and effective war against groups like ISIS can only succeed by targeting their real supporters, financial backers, and safe havens. If the United States continues to ignore these ground realities, this war will never truly end, and Pakistan will persist in playing its traditional strategic game.