Afghanistan - South Asia Times

Centralized Power and the Core–Periphery Divide in Afghanistan

SAT Editorial Desk November 7, 2025

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s return in 2021 brought rapid consolidation of power, but also the revival of a historical flaw. By concentrating authority in the hands of southern Pashtun elites, the Taliban have recreated the core–periphery divide that has destabilized every Afghan regime since the 19th century. This hyper-centralization, rooted in ethnic exclusivity and Kandahar dominance, risks a repeat of past collapses as non-Pashtun regions turn toward functional autonomy.

Broken Promises: The Taliban’s Betrayal of Global Commitments

SAT Editorial Desk November 6, 2025

Nearly three years after seizing power, the Taliban’s systematic violation of their international commitments under the 2020 Doha Accord has transformed Afghanistan into a sanctuary for terrorism, entrenched an autocratic regime, and institutionalized gender apartheid. Beyond moral failure, this deceit poses a grave threat to regional stability, international counterterrorism efforts, and the credibility of global diplomacy. Holding the regime accountable is now a strategic necessity, not a choice.

The Tehreek-e-Hijrat of 1920 and Its Parallels with Contemporary Refugee Politics

Amna Hassan November 4, 2025

The Tehreek-e-Hijrat of 1920 saw thousands of Indian Muslims migrate to Afghanistan, only to be turned away when Kabul could no longer cope. A century later, Afghan officials criticise Pakistan’s refugee policies while ignoring their own historical refusal to host Muslim migrants. The parallel reveals not just irony, but the enduring challenge of compassion, capacity, and collective responsibility.

Playing the Victim: How the Taliban Endorse and Amplify Online Propaganda Against Pakistan

SAT Commentary November 3, 2025

Following the October 2025 border clashes, the Taliban have shifted their battlefield online, using propaganda, selective history, and digital disinformation to paint Pakistan as the aggressor. Through controlled media releases, colonial-era references, and victimhood narratives, Kabul seeks to manipulate regional perception and deflect blame for its own failures.

The Terrorist Ecosystem

SAT Editorial Desk November 3, 2025

“The critical evidence was not that he was in Afghanistan, but where. Al-Zawahiri was not hiding…He was living comfortably in a safe house…This location, teeming with Taliban security, implies high-level protection, not an intelligence failure.”

When Insurgents Rule: The Taliban’s Crisis of Governance

SAT Editorial Desk October 30, 2025

The Taliban’s confrontation with Pakistan reveals a deeper failure at the heart of their rule: an insurgent movement incapable of governing the state it conquered. Bound by rigid ideology and fractured by internal rivalries, the Taliban have turned their military victory into a political and economic collapse, exposing the limits of ruling through insurgent logic.

Afghan Taliban and Cross Border Terrorism in Pakistan

SAT Commentary October 20, 2025

Pakistan is witnessing a sharp rise in terrorist attacks linked to the Afghan Taliban’s support for the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). A new study reveals that Afghan nationals now dominate TTP infiltration groups, exposing Kabul’s complicity in cross-border militancy. As violence escalates, Islamabad must balance border control, diplomacy, and de-radicalisation to counter

Beyond Words: Why Afghanistan’s Actions on Terrorism Will Define Regional Trust

SAT Commentary September 21, 2025

Kabul’s calls for dialogue sound promising, but the continued presence of TTP sanctuaries on Afghan soil fuels deadly instability in Pakistan. Until the Taliban translates words into decisive action against terrorism, any talk of regional trust will remain hollow.

Bagram: The Empire’s Airfield

SAT Editorial Desk September 19, 2025

Bagram Airbase was the nerve center of America’s two-decade war in Afghanistan and a unique strategic vantage point at the crossroads of South, Central, and West Asia. Its loss created a void in US power projection that over-the-horizon operations cannot fill.

The Making of an Enemy: The Taliban’s Narrative War Against Pakistan

SAT Editorial Desk September 11, 2025

The Taliban’s hostility toward Pakistan is not confined to isolated voices. Rooted in religious narratives that brand Islamabad as “un-Islamic” and reinforced by incendiary speeches and propaganda, this rhetoric fosters deep mistrust. While official representatives preach cooperation, commanders and ideologues openly glorify conflict, creating a dangerous contradiction between diplomacy and reality.