Maryam Solaimankhil, a former member of Afghanistan’s parliament, has responded to recent remarks by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, saying Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been turned into a training ground and laboratory for extremism and terrorism by Pakistan’s ruling elite over decades under the policy of “strategic depth.”
Solaimankhil said it was shameful to accuse Khyber Pakhtunkhwa of exporting terrorism, while the human and economic costs resulting from these policies have been extremely heavy.
Addressing Maryam Nawaz, she said that before blaming Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the question should be asked who, for decades, divided militants into “good” and “bad” groups for its own interests and benefited from their presence.
Solaimankhil stressed that exposing and speaking openly about these realities may be difficult, but Punjab must have the courage to acknowledge its past mistakes and take responsibility for them.
