U.S. Withdrawal and The Taliban’s Return to Power in Afghanistan: Implications for Pakistan

Abstract

This study is a critical attempt to examine the security, political and foreign policy implications of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan and the return of Taliban to power on neighboring Pakistan, recent history has shown that situation in Afghanistan has direct bearings on Pakistan which is a matter of concern. The research focuses on finding answers to the questions that how the US-led NATO wasn’t able to maintain their military presence in Afghanistan, survive the republic of Afghanistan by avoiding the Taliban from takeover and what was the role of Pakistan and the impacts it will suffer? The problem to be investigated is the trajectory of bilateral relations between the Taliban-ruled Afghanistan and Pakistan governed under Imran Khan and Shahbaz Sharif. The aim of this research which has a fresh and unpredictable topic is to measure and assess the impacts of power vacuum left by the US in the region, Particularly Afghanistan. The knowledge gap found during literature review is that there were limited detailed and updated materials on exactly the same topic and even the authors were sometimes biased and doing one sided judgment. This library research being deductive in nature is based on secondary data method, The qualitative or non-numerical paradigm is applied. Realism, and regional security complex theories together can be fit to constitute the theoretical framework of the study based on the analytical eclecticism approach. Limited time, access to information and conflicting perspectives on the situation of Afghanistan were the main limitations. Major findings show that the US whenever needs Pakistan will come close to it, after that abandon the country and Pakistan is not considered as an all-time strategic partner to the US, the incapacity, corruption, flawed policies of the US, nonstop able struggle of the Taliban and intervention by the regional powers paved the way for the collapse of Ashraf Ghani’s government and the return of Taliban to power. Furthermore, the bilateral relations between the Taliban government and Pakistan were not as friendly as expected during the past one and half year, the security situation deteriorated in Pakistan because of the TTP attacks, the Durand line issue sparked controversies and led to frequent border clashes, influx of refugees entered to Pakistan in a situation of fragile economy, the relations of Pakistan-US is overshadowed under the situation in Afghanistan, the isolated Taliban hasn’t been diplomatically recognized by any country yet, imposed restrictions on women seems to be returning to its old brand of hardline interpretation of Islamic law, the terrorist group IS-K is still IX a security threat and conducted multiple attacks including on ministry of foreign affairs in Kabul, the country experiences a dire humanitarian crisis, India cautiously desires to engage with the Taliban. As per recommendations suggested, both Pakistan and Afghanistan by moving forward in this new chapter of relations should forget what happened in the past along with the blame game, instead coexist, cooperate in eliminating terrorism, separatism, poverty, illiteracy, negative impacts of climate change, enhance trade and commerce, intelligence sharing, security and defense collaboration and improve mutual trust by people-to-people contacts.