As an Islamabad-based research institute prepared to host Afghan leaders and women activists this week to discuss regional peace and stability, an unexpected rebuke came from Zalmay Khalilzad, the former United States Special Representative for Afghanistan. Khalilzad urged Pakistan not to host the meeting, objecting to the presence of Afghan exiles opposed to the Taliban, including some who support the violent overthrow of their rule. While this was merely an informal gathering arranged by a think tank—not a government-sponsored initiative—such a sharp rejection reveals........

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