Pakistan

Afghan girls

Reflections On Events In Afghanistan (XXXIX)

39. Souring of Taliban’s relations with Pakistan    External interference in Afghanistan has reappeared much sooner than one would have expected after the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan in August. In a familiar pattern, the rumour mill has become active. The Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova hit out today at […]

Durand Line

Reflections On Events In Afghanistan (XXXVIII)

38. Blowback from Afghanistan Reports of the recent period are indicative of tensions between the Taliban forces and the Pakistani military deployed on their border. On December 22, the Afghan Defence Ministry spokesman Enayatullah Khwarazmi disclosed that the Taliban forces had stopped the Pakistani military from erecting an “illegal” border […]

Amir Khan Muttaqi

Reflections On Events In Afghanistan (XXXVII)

37. When are the Indians returning? A big international spectacle was slated to be staged in Islamabad on December 19 regarding Afghanistan with the attendance of foreign ministers from the 57-member Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC). The participants also include special invitees from the United Nations system, international financial institutions […]

Reflections On Events In Afghanistan (XXX)

30. Taliban Government gains traction All indications are that the regional states are preparing to accord recognition to the Taliban government. The meeting of regional states and Taliban officials in the so-called Moscow Format last Wednesday signalled that the Taliban government is a compelling reality and constructive engagement is needed. […]

Bhutan

Narrative Traps In India’s Decision-Making

I read a stimulating essay recently co-authored by Paul Dolan, professor at the London School of Economics, and his research assistant Amanda Hedwood analysing, against the backdrop of the uncertainties of the Covid-19 pandemic, how dominant narratives powerfully influence decisions and create the ‘narrative trap’ in decision-making. The LSE academics […]

Wang Yu met Taliban

Reflections On Events In Afghanistan (XXII)

22. US, UK prepare to re-engage Taliban  Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has written yet another opinion piece in the Washington Post, sensing a turning point lies ahead with the Biden Administration assembling a sustainable, durable policy toward Afghanistan taking into account the new reality of the Taliban government. Quintessentially, […]

Crowds of people show their documents to U.S. troops outside the airport in Kabul

Humanitarian Assistance To Afghanistan

War-torn Afghanistan is facing severe challenges. The abrupt evacuation of the US troops, and instant surrender of the Afghan National Army, have not given time for the Taliban to plan for governance. The irony is that while leaving Afghanistan, the US has frozen all assets and damaged the infrastructure of […]

Zabihullah Mujahid

Taliban Get A Government!

The regional states will be shell-shocked by the brazen way Lt. Gen. Faiz Hameed, head of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), coerced the Taliban to announce an interim government that is guaranteed to preserve Rawalpindi’s control over the levers of power in Kabul. There are several things to be noted about […]