ISLAMABAD The death of Khalil Haqqani, Afghanistan’s acting Minister for Refugees, in Kabul is a terrible development for Pakistan but poor news for the Afghan Taliban.
The News has learned from background discussions with Pakistani and Afghan officials that Pakistan has lost a major voice in an evidently antagonistic Taliban government as a result of Haqqani’s passing.
Like his older brother Jalaluddin Haqqani, Khalil has been a legendary figure in Afghanistan since the Soviet War. The bounty on Khalil’s head reflects the US’s perception of him as a militant opponent during the US-led war on terror.
After the Afghan Taliban took over Kabul on August 15, 2021, our correspondent had a fascinating chat with Khalil Haqqani on August 21.
