Pakistan's foreign policy will have to face increasing challenges to be addressed from the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban.
As 2021 proved to be a watershed movement for Afghanistan, something that shaped Pakistan's foreign policy, the year 2022 would bring more challenges for the country on the external front, according to Express Tribune.
Further, a lot would depend on how the situation unfolds in the neighbouring country. Unrest and a new cycle of instability in Afghanistan would certainly put Pakistan's strategy pitching itself as a geo-economic hub in jeopardy.
Earlier, in 2021 began, few would have thought by the end of year the Afghan Taliban would be in charge in Kabul.
However, such was the swiftness of the Taliban takeover that all the intelligence assessments of the US and other players in Afghanistan proved wrong.
On the other hand, President Joe Biden walked into the White House in 2021, he had a choice either to reverse the Doha deal his predecessor had signed with the Taliban or stick with it.
However, the Doha deal stipulated a timeframe for US troops' withdrawal from Afghanistan which eased the timetable for the takeover of Kabul by Taliban.
Also, the Taliban promised not to allow the Afghan soil to be used again by terrorist groups and enter into talks with other groups.
Under the deal, the US was to complete the troops' withdrawal by May 1, 2021.
After assuming office, Joe Biden however, ordered a review of the Afghan situation and following the months of assessments by the Pentagon and the State Department, he had to stick with the Doha plan albeit with a change of withdrawal date.
Instead of the May 1 deadline set in the Doha deal for the troops' withdrawal, Biden approved that the last US soldier would leave Afghanistan by September 11.
The announcement was met with a strong reaction from the Taliban, who called it a violation of the Doha deal and threatened to resume attacks against the US led foreign forces if they stayed in the war-torn country beyond May 1, according to Express Tribune.
( With inputs from ANI )
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