Afghanistan Times
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KABUL – Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai has publicly criticized Pakistan for naming its recently tested ballistic missile “Abdali” after Ahmad Shah Abdali, a revered Afghan historical figure and the founder of modern Afghanistan. In a post on X at 11:24 UTC on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, Karzai called out the irony of Pakistan honoring Afghan heroes with weapons while Afghan residents in Pakistan face mistreatment.
In his X post, Karzai stated: ” Pakistan has once again tested a ballistic missile named ‘Abdali.’ Unfortunately, Pakistan has previously named its missiles ‘Ghaznavi’ and ‘Ghauri,’ while at the same time, Afghans living there face mistreatment and harassment. Afghans seek respectful and civilized relations with Pakistan based on good neighborliness. It would be better if, instead of naming weapons and missiles, Pakistan named its scientific and cultural centers after these Afghan figures.”
Karzai’s comments highlight a long-standing Afghan frustration over Pakistan’s practice of naming missiles after Afghan historical figures, a move seen as cultural appropriation amid ongoing tensions. Pakistan tested the “Abdali” missile on May 5, 2025, as part of a military exercise, according to Eurasian Times. The missile, capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear warheads, was launched to demonstrate Pakistan’s military readiness amid tensions with India. However, the name “Abdali”—after Ahmad Shah Abdali, an 18th-century Afghan leader—has drawn criticism from Afghanistan.
Ahmad Shah Abdali, also known as Ahmad Shah Durrani, is celebrated in Afghanistan as the founder of the Durrani Empire and a national hero. Pakistan has previously named missiles like “Ghaznavi” and “Ghauri” after Muslim conquerors, a practice Afghanistan has long opposed, according to the Indian Defence Research Wing. The broader Afghanistan-Pakistan relationship remains strained, with disputes over the Durand Line and the treatment of Afghan communities in Pakistan adding to the friction.
