By Junaid Qaiser
As the United States continues to examine the legacy of its twenty-year military engagement in Afghanistan, an important reality is finally receiving the attention it deserves: Pakistan was not merely a neighboring observer of the conflict. It was one of its principal stakeholders, one of its most significant partners, and one of its greatest victims.
The recent visit of a delegation from the United States Afghanistan War Commission to General Headquarters in Rawalpindi reflects a growing recognition in Washington that any serious assessment of the Afghan war must include Pakistan’s perspective. Led by co-chairs Shamila N. Chaudhary and Dr. Colin F. Jackson, the delegation met Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir as part of the commission’s effort to review the strategic, diplomatic, and military decisions that shaped America’s longest war.
The symbolism of the meeting should not be overlooked. For years, discussions about Afghanistan were often dominated by American political debates, military strategies, and the eventual collapse of the Afghan government in 2021. Pakistan’s role was frequently discussed, but rarely understood in its full complexity. Too often, the country was viewed through the lens of policy disagreements rather than the enormous sacrifices it made during the conflict.
Following the attacks of September 11, 2001, Pakistan became a front-line state in the war on terror. It provided logistical support, intelligence cooperation, and access routes that were essential to coalition operations in Afghanistan. These contributions were not abstract diplomatic gestures. They were practical decisions that carried significant consequences for Pakistan’s own security and stability.
The costs were immense. Pakistan endured years of terrorist violence that claimed thousands of lives. Soldiers, police officers, tribal elders, religious leaders, and ordinary citizens became targets of extremist groups that emerged from the turmoil of the region. Markets, schools, mosques, churches, and public spaces were attacked. Entire communities lived under the shadow of insecurity. Economic losses ran into billions of dollars, while the social and psychological effects of prolonged instability left lasting scars.
For many Pakistanis, the war was never a distant conflict unfolding across a border. It became part of daily life. This reality is why the acknowledgment by the Afghanistan War Commission of Pakistan’s “longstanding role and sacrifices” is significant. It suggests a willingness to look beyond the simplified narratives that often characterized discussions of the war. History rarely fits neatly into political talking points. The Afghan conflict certainly does not.
Field Marshal Asim Munir reportedly emphasized the importance of incorporating regional perspectives into the commission’s review. That argument deserves serious consideration. Afghanistan’s history over the past two decades cannot be understood solely through decisions made in Washington or Kabul. Regional actors faced their own challenges, constraints, and security concerns. Pakistan’s experience offers insights into dimensions of the conflict that are often overlooked in Western analyses.
The commission’s work is particularly important because its final report is expected to become one of the most comprehensive official assessments of the war. Its conclusions will influence future policymakers, military planners, scholars, and diplomats seeking to understand what happened in Afghanistan and why.
For Pakistan, this review presents an opportunity to place its experience on the historical record. That does not mean seeking praise or avoiding difficult questions. Every major stakeholder in the conflict will face scrutiny. Rather, it means ensuring that the story is told in its entirety.
The debate over Afghanistan has often focused on military campaigns, diplomatic negotiations, and political failures. Yet it is equally important to remember the countries and populations that absorbed the consequences of those decisions. Pakistan hosted millions of Afghan refugees over several decades. It confronted cross-border terrorism, managed complex security challenges, and navigated a regional environment shaped by constant uncertainty.
Five years after the American withdrawal from Afghanistan, the debate about what went wrong continues. The commission itself has emphasized that the events of August 2021 cannot be understood in isolation. They were the culmination of two decades of policies, successes, failures, assumptions, and missed opportunities.
That broader perspective is essential. Pakistan’s role in the Afghan war has long been debated in Washington. What is often beyond debate, however, is the scale of the sacrifices made by the Pakistani people. Thousands lost their lives. Countless families were affected. Communities bore the burden of a conflict that extended far beyond Afghanistan’s borders.
As the Afghanistan War Commission moves toward its final report, there is an opportunity to produce a more complete and balanced account of the conflict. Such an assessment should recognize that Pakistan was not merely a participant in events. It was a country that paid a substantial price for regional stability and international counterterrorism efforts.
History cannot undo those sacrifices. But it can acknowledge them. And perhaps that is what makes the Rawalpindi meeting so important. It was not simply about revisiting the past. It was about ensuring that when the history of America’s longest war is finally written, Pakistan’s sacrifices are neither forgotten nor misunderstood.
