Pakistan’s defense minister warned on Saturday that if ongoing negotiations with the Taliban do not yield results, the country is prepared to enter into an “open war” with Afghanistan’s de facto rulers. Speaking to reporters in the city of Sialkot, Khawaja Muhammad Asif said that Islamabad remained committed to diplomacy but would resort to military action if current talks — […]
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India restores full diplomatic presence in Afghanistan
India has officially restored its full diplomatic presence in Afghanistan, upgrading its Technical Mission in Kabul to the level of an embassy, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Tuesday. The decision follows recent discussions during the visit of Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister to New Delhi, marking a renewed phase in India-Afghanistan relations. The MEA said the move reflects India’s […]
Read more ›Taliban defense minister says no global definition of ‘terrorist,’ rejects Pakistan’s terms
Yaqub Mujahid, the Taliban’s defense minister, has rejected Pakistan’s labeling of its opponents as terrorists, following a ceasefire agreement between the two sides. He said there is still no universally accepted definition of the term “terrorist.” “Each country can describe its opposition as terrorism,” Mujahid said in an interview with Al Jazeera. “There is no definitive or internationally agreed-upon definition […]
Read more ›Pakistan, Afghanistan Agree To Immediate Cease-Fire During Talks In Doha
Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed to an immediate truce during talks mediated by Qatar and Turkey in Doha, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry announced early October 19 on X. “During the negotiations, the two sides agreed to an immediate cease-fire and the establishment of mechanisms to consolidate lasting peace and stability between the two countries,” the Qatari Foreign Ministry said in a statement. […]
Read more ›Infructuous ‘ceasefires’
On October 18, 2025, successive air strikes by Pakistan in Paktika Province killed eight people, including three club cricketers attending a post-match gathering. The incident sparked particular outrage and inflamed public sentiment in Afghanistan. The Afghanistan Cricket Board subsequently withdrew from a planned triangular T20 series with Pakistan and Sri Lanka. A new ceasefire between Pakistan and Afghanistan came into […]
Read more ›Taliban defense minister says Durand Line not part of ceasefire deal with Pakistan
The Taliban’s defense minister Yaqub Mujahid said Sunday that the Durand Line, the disputed border between Afghanistan and Pakistan, was not addressed in Saturday’s ceasefire agreement signed by both sides in Doha. Speaking at a virtual press conference from the Qatari capital, Mujahid referred to the Durand Line as an “imaginary border” and said the matter “belongs to the nations,” […]
Read more ›Khawarij’s Patronage, Support & Facilitation from Afghanistan
Afghanistan has been a platform for operations by the Khawarij or the extremists, even though they claimed to be non-interference; indeed, they have received patronage from the Taliban government for their activity. With increasing activities of groups such as the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in Afghanistan, security concern in Pakistan and other parts of the world has become of great concern. […]
Read more ›Al-Qaeda’s Comeback in Afghanistan Isn’t Just Old News
It feels strange to even write this, but Al-Qaeda is back in Afghanistan. Not in whispers or shadows, but in a way that looks a lot like their pre-9/11 presence. More than two decades after the “war on terror” began, the group has carved out space under Taliban protection. Reports say Hamza bin Laden, Osama’s son, is now one of […]
Read more ›The U.S.-Taliban Talks: A Strategic Shift in Counterterrorism?
A remarkable transformation has occurred in the three years since U.S. forces withdrew from Afghanistan Washington has discreetly resumed communicating with the Taliban. A remarkable transformation has occurred in the three years since U.S. forces withdrew from Afghanistan Washington has discreetly resumed communicating with the Taliban. It is now commonplace for U.S. envoys to meet with the former insurgents who […]
Read more ›The Shadow Commander Behind Pakistan and Afghanistan’s New Border War
Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have surged to their highest levels in decades, following deadly cross-border clashes that have pushed both nations to the brink of prolonged confrontation. Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have surged to their highest levels in decades, following deadly cross-border clashes that have pushed both nations to the brink of prolonged confrontation.At the centre of the […]
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