View From The Neighbourhood: Afghanistan opening

A weekly look at the public conversations shaping ideas beyond borders — in the Subcontinent.

The editorial in Dawn on July 14 welcomes what appears to progress in the “peace talks” among stakeholders in Afghanistan, especially as the Taliban seems to “be softening its rigid stance”.

Over the last few weeks, as the Trump Administration has been pushing for a rapprochement in Afghanistan between the Taliban and the elected government, it has opened up strategic possibilities for Pakistan. Both editorials and articles by columnists in the country’s press have recognised this opportunity to mend fences with the US. After all, the ISI and Pakistan deep state became salient — almost indispensable — in the US’s strategic calculus during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.