Islamabad: Twenty-five years after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Sardar Masood Khan, the former Ambassador of Pakistan to the United States, China, and the United Nations, and former President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, has called for global reflection on the long-term impacts of military interventions and the stereotyping of Muslims, which he argues have been among the devastating consequences of the prolonged “war on terror.”
According to President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Sardar Masood Khan expressed solidarity with the victims of the attacks on the World Trade Centre, the Pentagon, and the passengers of the hijacked aircraft. Recalling the events of September 11, 2001, when he was stationed in Washington, D.C., he highlighted the loss of nearly 3,000 lives, including Pakistani citizens. He noted the initial international solidarity with the United States, marked by NATO’s invocation of Article 5, but observed that this unity waned as military operations extended from Afghanistan to Iraq and beyond.
Sardar Masood Khan pointed out that incidents like Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay, coupled with US military activities in Syria and Libya, damaged America’s global reputation. He referenced a Brown University study estimating that the United States spent approximately $9 trillion on these conflicts, which have persisted for years. In contrast, he noted China’s focus on economic development during the same period, leading to its rise as the world’s second-largest economy.
Discussing Pakistan’s experience, Sardar Masood Khan stated the country has suffered significant losses due to the war on terror, including reputational harm, economic damage, and the loss of around 80,000 lives. He cited official estimates of Pakistan’s economic losses at about $150 billion, though he suggested the true cost could be higher. Despite the withdrawal of US and NATO forces, Pakistan continues to face challenges from terrorism.
He criticized nation-building efforts in Afghanistan as a failure, asserting that societies must develop independently rather than being subjected to external models. While Al-Qaeda was dismantled, he argued that the lengthy intervention undermined American prestige and strategic priorities.
Sardar Masood Khan also addressed the rise of Islamophobia after 9/11, describing the stereotyping of Muslims as harmful to both Western and Muslim societies. He noted the expansion of surveillance cultures in the West, mentioning that US intelligence agencies had been monitoring Al-Qaeda and Osama bin Laden before 9/11, yet the attacks highlighted significant intelligence shortcomings.
“The enduring lesson of 9/11 is that terrorism must be confronted, but prolonged wars, military intervention, stereotyping, and failed nation-building cannot provide a sustainable path to peace and security,” he concluded.