Navigating a Turbulent Neighborhood: Pakistan's Foreign Policy towards Afghanistan (2018-2022)

Abstract

This paper discusses Pakistan-Afghanistan bilateral relations from 2018-2022. From 2018 to 2022 it was a critical stage in Pakistan’s foreign Policy viz-a-viz Afghanistan. There was not only the transformation of the government system in Afghanistan from democracy to Afghan government what may be called an Islamic democracy, theocratic regime or Taliban government. This research will further explain the role of Pakistan in facilitating the Doha Peace Accord and how Pakistan played its role in bringing the Taliban to negotiating table. In addition, it will further investigate the factors leading to the fall of Kabul in 2021 and the formation of the Taliban interim government in Afghanistan and its implications for Pakistan. Regional Security complex theory has been used to explain bilateral relations of Pakistan and Afghanistan. This research is qualitative in nature. Both primary and secondary data has been utilized in this paper .Furthermore, this paper will also elaborate   the high-level diplomatic engagements between both countries.

KEYWORDS: Pakistan, Afghanistan, Doha Peace Process, Taliban.