KABUL—Pakistan condemned the Taliban on Thursday after spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid retaliated against Pakistani airstrikes by urging Afghan families to stop sending their sons to Akora Khattak madrassa and enroll them in STEM programs instead as punishment for the attacks.
Islamabad called the response “reckless and disproportionate,” saying airstrikes were one thing but diverting Afghan students from Pakistani madrassas into science, technology and engineering threatened decades of regional understanding and brotherhood.
“Afghanistan has every right to respond through the established channels,” a Pakistani official said. “Statements, border closures, accusations, Khalilzad. But STEM?”
Security officials warned that if Mujahid’s threat were carried out, thousands of Afghan boys could be exposed to STEM and other subjects with potentially serious consequences for Pakistan’s strategic depth.
Akora Khattak reportedly declared the situation critical and reminded Afghan parents that accommodation remained free and students would never be burdened with unnecessary electives like robotics suicide bombers.
Pakistani analysts urged Kabul to exercise restraint, warning that one generation of Afghan engineers could do considerably more damage to Pakistan’s influence than another generation of angry statements.
Islamabad has called for immediate dialogue.
Preferably before American attentions divert away to another war theater.