USA withdrawal from Afghanistan Challenges and Political-Economic Options for Pakistan in Changing Regional Dynamics

Abstract

This research explored USA withdrawal from Afghanistan. The incident of 9/11 shocked the whole world, when two hijacked aeroplanes by Al-Qaeda hit twin towers of USA. Subsequently, 10 years of fighting in Afghanistan, on May 2, 2011, Osama, bin Laden was killed by American forces at Abbottabad in Pakistan. On January 20, 2014, President Barak Obama announced the policy of ending war in Afghanistan and withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan. His successor Donald J. Trump continued the same policy. Finally, on August 21, 2021, the last troop of USA withdrew from Afghanistan. The research also examined how Pakistan can play a role to improve the political economy of Afghanistan? The study elaborated how USA-Afghanistan conflict created challenges and political-economic options for Pakistan in changing regional dynamics. The researcher has used primary data using the method of semi-structured interview via purposive sampling, content analysis and documentary analysis to triangulate the data and to avoid the biasness in the research. The researcher has incorporated Rational Choice Theory (RCT) in his research to explore that how states make decisions based on cost and benefits analysis among their relations with each other? States opt the best among the available options, in term of their relations with other.