Opinion

Underestimating the Invisible War: The Rise of ISIS-K and the Collapse of Intelligence Assumptions in Afghanistan

Opinion /

(Mushtaq Yusufzai) The evolving security situation in Afghanistan has once again come under intense scrutiny following a new investigative report that raises uncomfortable but necessary questions: Was the international community wrong to assume that ISIS-Khorasan Province had been weakened beyond strategic relevance? Did intelligence failures both foreign and domestic create the conditions for its resurgence? […]

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Pakistan Between Washington and Tehran: The Hidden Talks That Could Change Everything

Opinion /

(Shamim Shahid) In the constantly shifting landscape of international relations, where rivalries often dominate headlines and mistrust defines engagement, moments of quiet diplomacy tend to go unnoticed until their consequences become impossible to ignore. The recent round of indirect and exploratory talks between the United States and Iran reportedly facilitated in part through behind-the-scenes diplomatic

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Pakistan–Afghanistan Talks in China: What’s Really Driving the Quiet Diplomatic Shift?

Opinion /

(Hassam Uddin) In recent months, a new diplomatic track between Pakistan and Afghanistan has drawn attention not only for its substance but also for its geography. The fact that these engagements are taking place on Chinese soil reportedly in venues such as Urumqi has sparked important questions: Why China? What does Beijing seek to gain?

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Pakistan, The Banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, Tehreek-e-Taliban Gul Bahadur Group (TTG), Pakistan's Fight against Terrorism, US-Iran Talks in Islamabad

Talks on the Table, Terror on the Ground, Pakistan Walks a Tightrope

Opinion /

Pakistan today finds itself in a complex security landscape where the visible decline in terrorist incidents in certain areas, particularly parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, masks a deeper and more adaptive threat. Groups such as the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Tehreek-e-Taliban Gul Bahadur Group (TTG), and their affiliates are not disappearing, they are reorganizing, recalibrating, and

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Urumqi, Islamabad and kabul, Pakistan Afghanistan Tensions, US-Iran Talks in Islamabad, Operation Ghazab Lil Haq and Afghan Safe Havens

No Breakthrough in Urumqi, Ground Realities Dictate Islamabad’s Afghanistan Policy

Opinion /

Lakki Marwat to Urumqi, Kabul to Islamabad, the chessboard of regional security rarely moves with a single meeting, and certainly not with one held far from the centers of power. The recent round of talks in Urumqi between Pakistan and Afghanistan, facilitated by China, was projected in some quarters as a potential turning point. Yet,

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Two Voices from Kabul, One Dangerous Silence: Is Pakistan–Afghanistan Peace Already Slipping Away?

Opinion /

(Shamim Shahid) The recent de-escalation between global powers has once again reminded the world of a simple but often ignored truth: war benefits no one. While international attention has been drawn to conflicts elsewhere, closer to home, the fragile and often strained relationship between Pakistan and Afghanistan remains a matter of deep concern. The rhetoric

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Afghanistan, Terror Sanctuaries inside Afghanistan, Pakistan's Airstrikes inside Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai to UN, Pakistan Afghan Taliban Peace Talks

Afghanistan Must Eliminate Terror Sanctuaries to Prevent Further Strikes

Opinion /

The situation in Afghanistan today is a reality that cannot be denied, a state where restrictions on expression, media, and political space shape not only governance but also the voices that emerge from within it. In such an environment, even prominent figures like former president Hamid Karzai operate under visible constraints, making it difficult to

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Three Demands, One Explosive Choice: Will Kabul Break with Militants or Push the Region to the Brink?

Opinion /

( Zahir Shah Sherazi) The evolving dynamics between Pakistan and Afghanistan have once again entered a critical phase one that carries profound implications not only for bilateral relations but for the broader stability of the region. Recent engagements in Urumqi, China, have brought to the surface long-standing concerns, hardened positions, and a narrowing window for

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Afghan Taliban, Taliban Rifts, Pakistan Afghan Taliban Peace Talks, The Banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Pakistan's War on Terror and India-Backed Afghan Taliban's Double Game

Between Power and Pressure: Why Afghan Taliban Cannot Afford Internal Division

Opinion /

Reports of internal divisions within the Afghan Taliban are not new, but they must be understood in the context of how the group evolved over decades. Different factions, including the Haqqani network, operated with a degree of autonomy while remaining united against foreign forces. That unity, however, is being tested in the post-2021 environment, where

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Suicide Attacks, Political Betrayals, and China’s Hidden Role: The Pakistan-Afghanistan Tension

Opinion /

(Arif Yousafzai) The recent surge in militancy in Pakistan’s northwestern regions, coupled with the ongoing political unrest and the complex dynamics of Pakistan-Afghanistan relations, underscores the critical challenges facing both countries today. These challenges are not just about security or governance; they reflect a deeper interplay of domestic politics, regional interests, and international mediation, particularly

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