This is apropos a Business Recorder editorial “A new wave of terror in Afghanistan”. The newspaper has argued, among other things, that “Though fundamentalist in religious orientation, the Afghan Taliban had only wanted to free their country from foreign forces, the IS, on the other hand, seeks establishment of an Islamic caliphate stretching from the Middle East to Pakistan, and beyond”.

It is quite unfortunate that Afghanistan is still in the throes of deadly violence even after Taliban’s return to power in August last year. It is increasingly clear that terrorist outfits such as IS-K and TTP have deepened their footprints in this landlocked country during the rule of Taliban 2.0. The sudden and abrupt US exit from Afghanistan has only added to instability in this country. The present Afghan rulers appear to lack capacity to rein in either IS-K or TTP.

Shahid Bangash (Peshawar)

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022