Afghanistan International: Suhail Shaheen, the Taliban’s ambassador in Qatar has claimed that Iran and India no longer regard the group as a proxy of Pakistan. Speaking in an interview with Al Jazeera, Shaheen stated that both New Delhi and Tehran have come to recognise that this perception was inaccurate. He asserted that regional powers have
Al Jazeera: As Pakistan remained embroiled in a war of words with its archrival India – following a dramatic exchange of missiles and drones nearly two weeks ago – it this week advanced diplomatic efforts with two other neighbors: China and Afghanistan, which could lead to the formal resumption of diplomatic ties between Islamabad and
Afghanistan International: China has announced that Pakistan and the Taliban have agreed to elevate their diplomatic relations to the level of ambassadors. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi welcomed the development, stating that Beijing supports the strengthening of ties between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Although neither Pakistan nor China has formally recognised the Taliban government, both countries
By RFE/RL’s Radio Azadi and Kian Sharifi May 21, 2025 Afghan female athletes who fled to Pakistan to escape Taliban restrictions are facing a slew of problems, including poverty, a lack of training facilities, and uncertainty about their immigration status. After the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan in August 2021, women and girls were
Khaama: Pakistan’s Defence Minister, Khawaja Asif, has claimed that the Taliban and Israel were the only two regimes that supported India’s recent military strikes against Pakistan. His remarks came amid rising tensions following India’s cross-border operation codenamed “Sindoor.” So far, the Taliban have not officially responded to these claims. However, reports indicate that ties between
Khaama: The incident occurred on Friday, May 16, 2025, in the Angur Ada area of Barmal district, near the Durand Line..Local sources identified the slain commander as Sibghatullah Matin, who served as the logistics chief of the Taliban’s 4th Brigade of the Mansouri Corps. The clash resulted in the deaths of two Taliban fighters and
Afghanistan International: Citing informed diplomatic sources, the outlet stated that the Taliban supported Islamabad’s position on conducting an impartial investigation into the recent Pahalgam attack and chose to maintain its distance from the Indian bloc. Click here to read more (external link). Related Sirajuddin Haqqani meets with special envoys of China and Pakistan in Kabul
Japan Times: Pakistan’s relationship with Afghanistan has become strategic quicksand. So deep is the quagmire that, under growing public pressure, segments of Pakistan’s government have suggested turning to the United States for assistance and even offering drone bases to the US to target militants in Afghanistan. The idea that sophisticated US drones and other weapons
Khaama: Zalmay Khalilzad, former U.S. envoy for Afghanistan, has issued a stern warning in response to the recent conflict between India and Pakistan. He emphasized that supporting terrorism leads to catastrophic consequences. Khalilzad’s comments appear to indirectly address Islamabad’s alleged policies that have been linked to supporting militant groups in the region. Click here to
Khaama: Former UN official Shashi Tharoor says Pakistan’s influence over the Taliban has sharply declined, turning Afghanistan into a strategic quagmire. or decades, Pakistan provided financial and logistical support to the Taliban, seeing them as a means to establish “strategic depth” in Afghanistan and to exert influence in the region, particularly against India. However, Tharoor