The Making of an Enemy: The Taliban’s Narrative War Against Pakistan
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.
Afghanistan conundrum
When the Taliban returned to power in 2021, Pakistan saw hope. Four years later, TTP and BLA attacks have surged, Kabul’s ties with India are deepening, and Islamabad faces a worsening security crisis along its western border.
Afghanistan’s Fragile State: Security, Economy, and Human Rights
Since the Taliban’s return in 2021, Afghanistan has plunged into isolation, economic collapse, and humanitarian disaster. Security threats from ISKP, worsening poverty, healthcare breakdown, the rollback of women’s rights, and mass displacement have left millions facing unprecedented hardship.
Afghanistan: Terror, Narcotics, and the Global Security Crisis
Afghanistan’s descent into chaos has transformed into a global crisis, driven by terrorism, narcotics, and human suffering. Since the Taliban’s return, the country has re-emerged as a dangerous incubator for extremist groups and a global hub for narcotics production, creating a vicious cycle that threatens regional stability and international security alike.
Peace Conferences versus Terror Sanctuaries
A two-day peace conference in Islamabad sparked Afghan criticism, yet Kabul itself shelters groups like the TTP and BLA, fueling instability.
Afghan Refugees in Pakistan
This backgrounder examines the long and complex history of Afghan refugees in Pakistan, spanning more than forty years of conflict-driven displacement. It explores the major waves of refugee influx since the Soviet invasion, shifting legal and policy frameworks, and the fluctuating role of international aid. The backgrounder also highlights the profound social, economic, and political impacts on Pakistan, as well as the recent push for mass deportations that raise serious humanitarian and legal concerns.
Corridor of Opportunity: Pakistan as the Gateway for US Investment in Central Asia and Afghanistan
Pakistan’s emerging role as a secure overland gateway to Central Asia offers the U.S. a vital post-Afghanistan route for trade, aid, and regional integration, transforming Islamabad from a security ally into a connectivity partner.
The New Road to Central Asia
After the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, Pakistan offers a vital overland corridor to Central Asia, unlocking trade, stability, and strategic influence.
Afghanistan: A Geopolitical Cauldron and the Rise of Proxy Warfare
Afghanistan’s internal chaos has turned it into a battleground for proxy warfare, with India and Israel allegedly exploiting its instability to target Pakistan, Iran, and regional connectivity projects like CPEC.
A Fragile Opening: What the Pak-Afghan Trade Deal Really Means
The agreement gives Afghanistan vital export routes and positions Pakistan to advance its long-term vision of regional economic connectivity.