US Withdrawal from Afghanistan: Assessment of Pakistan's Foreign Policy Options

Abstract

Pakistan, being the immediate neighbour of Afghanistan, has been widely affected by the developments taking place in the country in the aftermath of the US withdrawal and the subsequent rise of the Taliban into power in August 2021. Pakistan’s relationship with both the US and Afghanistan encountered new scenarios and a set of challenges. The US and Pakistan both found a space for more focus on bilateral ties, away from the burden of third party i.e., Afghanistan, which remained a key determining factor in their ties. However, it is yet to be seen how both countries carve a way out of the troubled history of engagement in the past. Similarly,
despite Pakistan’s historical links with the Taliban, its relationship with Afghanistan also witnessed a downward spiral due to border tensions and the resurgence of TTP. The paper looks into the changing dynamics of the bilateral US-Pakistan and Pakistan-Afghanistan relationship in the backdrop of geopolitical changes in the region after the US withdrawal. It argues that despite divergence in interests, it is crucial for Pakistan to engage both the US and Afghanistan for the fulfillment of its geo-economic aspirations in the region as a key determining factor of its foreign policy in recent times.