Pakistan-Afghanistan Security Puzzle: Changing nature of Threats and Options: 2014 Onwards

Abstract

The case of the Pakistan-Afghanistan relationship, a constant fault line of conflict of interest, mistrust, suspicion, and divergent views of security has contributed towards competing misperceptions and deadlock on policy issues with each other. The historical legacy of Pak-Afghan relations particularly at the time of Soviet intervention continued as the main determinant of Pak-Afghan relations. In this context, 2001 became a pivotal year in the Pakistan-Afghanistan relationship, as it entirely changed the dynamics of their bilateral relationship as well as regional politics. Since then, the associated contemporary issues of security including border security, defense, and terrorism along with the nontraditional security threats are main concerns of the policymakers at both sides. This article by using a descriptive and analytical lens of research would be investigating the growing security challenges to Pakistan and Afghanistan.