The Taliban’s Takeover of Afghanistan and Pakistan’s Non‐traditional Security Challenges

AbstractThe Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan has brought both opportunities and challenges for Pakistan. As Islamabad is relieved by India's exit from Afghanistan, it continues to worry more about the spill‐over of the situation in Afghanistan into Pakistan. Among key non‐traditional security challenges are extremism, terrorism, refugees and drug trafficking and Islamabad continues to express serious concerns on how the new development in Afghanistan can pose a serious threat to Pakistan's peace and security. With a friendly regime in Kabul, however, Pakistan has an opportunity to handle these challenges through a mix of bilateral and multilateral options. By examining historical and contemporary dynamics, this article assesses the seriousness of non‐traditional security threats vis‐à‐vis Afghanistan for Pakistan. Islamabad's immediate non‐traditional security concerns focus on how the new developments in Afghanistan will possibly influence religious extremism and terrorism at home. Finally, the article outlines policy recommendations for Pakistan's engagement in the Taliban‐led Afghanistan.