Sardar Masood Khan, the seasoned diplomat and former President of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, has sounded the alarm that the escalating hostilities between Iran and Israel could spill into Pakistan, putting the country’s security and fragile resources under even greater strain.
In a series of candid interviews, Khan painted a sobering picture of the ripple effects if the conflict drags on. He pointed out that Pakistan might face a refugee crisis similar to what it experienced during the Afghan war.
“If the fighting continues, we could see waves of Iranian refugees crossing into Pakistan,” he said. “Our resources are already stretched thin — another refugee influx would add economic and political stress.”
Khan also warned that Pakistan’s western border could become vulnerable, giving space to anti-state militants, some of whom he claimed are backed by hostile forces including India. He specifically mentioned groups like the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and the Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF) as potential threats.
“A fragile border with Iran could easily be exploited by proxies to destabilise Pakistan,” Khan said.
Reflecting on Israel’s military goals, Khan claimed that Israel’s strikes have targeted key Iranian nuclear sites, knocking out a significant chunk of Tehran’s air defences. He also expressed deep concern over reports that Israel is pressuring Washington to greenlight tactical nuclear strikes against underground Iranian facilities — a step he said would be reckless and catastrophic.
“Some officials argue small underground nukes would contain fallout. Experts disagree — it’s dangerously naïve,” he remarked.
Khan acknowledged global efforts to de-escalate, noting that Russia and China have voiced support for Iran while President Putin has offered to mediate — an offer Iran welcomed but Israel rejected.
He said the US administration has left a short window for diplomacy, with British and European diplomats pushing behind the scenes for restraint.
But despite backchannel efforts, Khan warned that increased American troop deployments in the Middle East and beyond signal serious preparation for further conflict.
“The world is standing at a dangerous crossroads,” he said. “We must plan for the worst while praying that calm heads prevail.”
Meanwhile, Iran has condemned the recent US strikes on its nuclear sites — Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan — labelling them a blatant violation of international law. The airstrikes, carried out on June 21 and declared a success by former US President Donald Trump, have raised fears of a wider war.
Iranian officials insist they never abandoned diplomatic talks and accuse both the US and Israel of deliberately sabotaging peace efforts. While Israel hailed the strikes as historic, the United Nations and European Union have warned that the escalation poses a serious threat to regional and global security.
