ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s foreign office clarified on Thursday that a man charged in the United States with illegal firearm possession and carrying a notebook outlining attack methods and a layout of a police station is of Afghan origin, disputing claims from US media that linked him to Pakistan.
Luqmaan Khan, 25, was arrested on November 24 when police in New Castle County found him parked after hours in Canby Park West. Upon investigation, authorities discovered multiple loaded Glock magazines, an armored ballistic plate, and a handwritten notebook detailing strategies for attacks and entry points to a University of Delaware police facility, according to the US Attorney’s Office for Delaware.
US media outlets had described Khan as being of “Pakistan-origin.”
Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi rejected these reports, stating, “Our investigations confirm he is an Afghan national. He resided in Pakistan for several years as a refugee with his family before moving to the U.S.”
There has been no official comment from Afghan authorities regarding Khan’s nationality.
The case follows closely after another involving Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan asylee accused of shooting two US National Guard soldiers on November 26, one of whom later died from his injuries.
In the aftermath of that incident, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services suspended asylum decisions for migrants from 19 “high-risk” countries, including Afghanistan. This policy change, approved by the Trump administration, came directly after the shooting.
Pakistan has long asserted that militant activities linked to Afghan networks are mistakenly associated with Pakistan due to its decades-long history of hosting Afghan refugees. Islamabad initiated a nationwide expulsion campaign last year targeting undocumented Afghans.
Since the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in 2021, Pakistan has repeatedly raised concerns over the growing threat of militancy and radicalization linked to its neighbor. Kabul continues to deny involvement in attacks beyond its borders.
