The National Interest: In February 2020, just days before the U.S.-Taliban Doha Agreement was signed, the intelligence community and military intelligence leaders from South and Central Asia gathered at a U.S. Central Command conference in Tampa, Florida. The topic was unconventional warfare, and one of the most electric moments was when a panelist described how
Foreign Affairs: For the last two decades, conventional wisdom in Pakistan held that an Afghanistan ruled by the Taliban would be a boon to Pakistan’s security. Islamabad has long supported the Taliban with the understanding that the militants could help deny India—which many Pakistani officials see as an existential threat—any influence in Afghanistan. But since
NYT: The euphoria felt by many in Pakistan over a Taliban victory in Kabul six months ago is subsiding. The government had hoped that a friendly — some would say proxy — regime in Kabul would ease its concerns about the Pakistani Taliban. But instead, there has been a spike in terror attacks in recent
Fair Observer: Victory against the US, ethnic conflict within Afghanistan and disappointment with Islamabad could lead the Taliban to create a new Pashtun state on the ruins of Afghanistan and Pakistan. Click here to read more (external link).
Aamaj: Ulema of Haqqania madrasa in Pakistan feel proud that their students rule Afghansitan. Darul Uloom Haqqania madrasa is one of the biggest and oldest seminaries in Pakistan, and the majority of Taliban’s current leader graduated from this seminary. The new building of this seminary is made by financial assistance of Pakistan’s government, too. Click
Reuters: Hackers from Pakistan used Facebook to target people in Afghanistan with connections to the previous government during the Taliban’s takeover of the country, the company’s threat investigators said in an interview with Reuters. Click here to read more (external link).
Foreign Policy: Pakistan said to be supporting alternative jihadi groups to undermine the Taliban and maintain leverage over Afghanistan. Click here to read more (external link).
Javid Ahmad via WSJ: The collapse of the Afghan republic was no accident. It was the culmination of many collective failures, but at the heart of the tragedy was the role played by one country: Pakistan. Pakistan has long followed a dual-track approach in Afghanistan, hosting the Taliban on its soil while ostensibly working as
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty October 26, 2021 Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has appointed a new head of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) spy agency after weeks of speculation about a rift between civil and military leadership on the issue. Lieutenant General Nadeem Anjum was approved as spymaster after a final consultation between army chief General
By Radio Mashaal October 22, 2021 A global money-laundering watchdog has called on Pakistan to “continue to make progress as soon as possible ” to address the one remaining recommendation that is preventing the country from being removed from a so-called gray list of terrorism financing. The Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF) placed Pakistan on