Tackling Taliban 2.0 is increasingly becoming a quagmire for Pakistan and the region. The failed Doha and Istanbul talks are a testament to this fact.
The question is what are the options to deal with the Afghan Taliban when friendly countries like Qatar and Türkiye have remained unsuccessful in convincing them to make peace with Pakistan.
Almost simultaneous suicide attacks in Islamabad and on Cadet College Wana on November 11th, 2025 have further increased the necessity to find a concrete answer.
The problem is compounded by the fact that Pakistan still houses millions of Afghan refugees. At the top of it, some short-sighted steps by the previous governments allowed banned TTP to take roots in the border areas.
As we move forward, the Afghan Taliban must know that a country that has beaten arrogant India will not tolerate terrorism.
However, ending diplomatic engagement is no option. Needless to say, in any case, these negotiations would not provide a long-lasting solution. History and geography are to blame for that.
So, how to manage the Afghan problem in a way where not only Pakistan but also the region at large live-in a relative peace?
Those who have any good faith about the Afghan Taliban must read twice what the interim minister of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has to say.
“Today, defending the country is no longer possible with simple weapons like Kalashnikovs. Defence now requires heavy artillery, bombs, and fighter jets, remarked Habibullah Agha while inaugurating an exhibition in Kabul.”
He did not stop here.
Apparently, he stressed for becoming self-sufficient but those who are aware of what it takes to develop sophisticated military equipment can better analyse Habibullah Agha's following statement.
“If Russia, India, Iran, or Pakistan provide you with military equipment, it’s likely they won’t give you something that could be used against them. Therefore, we must take matters into our own hands.”
In simple terms, this shows that the Afghan Taliban have something on their minds against all regional powers. It is despite the fact that the region has opted for a carrot approach. Even, Pakistan didn't resort to use stick until 9th October, 2025.
That is why a regional approach may be a better option; to a great extent, it was to bring them back to power.
Here, Pakistan can utilise its recently improved relations with the United States of America. Afghan Taliban still reportedly have a Doha office, established with the help of Washington eight years before the then militants took over Kabul.
There were secret annexes to Doha Peace Deal. Is it time to request that the United States sift through those annexes and see how President Trump can help Pakistan?
This businessman turned politician may ask for a bargain. Nobody knows how he views Afghanistan other than that he has an eye on rare earth minerals and retaking lost Bagram Airbase to keep an eye on China.
As far as US presence in Afghanistan is concerned, Pakistan suffered heavily throughout those nineteen long years. However, Islamabad can play a role in transporting these minerals.
Islamabad should also talk to Tehran. Iran is one of the countries that has witnessed a steep rise in bilateral trade since the Afghan Taliban took over Kabul. From 2021 to 2025, the bilateral trade has increased from roughly $2 billion to $3.3 billion.
And, it is Iran that is helping Afghanistan connect with India and countries across the Persian Gulf through Chabahar port. Needless to mention that in the past year, ''trade worth $2.661 billion was conducted through Chabahar Port, of which $127 million accounted for Afghan exports''.
Moscow Format is also still active. The seventh meeting under this umbrella was held two days before Pakistan undertook surgical strikes against Kabul.
During this dialogue, the participants had ''advocated for Afghanistan’s active integration into regional economic systems''. It is time to ask Moscow and other participants like Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan to warn Kabul of the consequences of harbouring terrorist outfits like TTP, TTT and ETIM to name a few.
At the top of it, Islamabad can reach out to ''all weather strategic friend China''. It is probably the only country in the region that has kept itself safe from terrorism emanating from Afghanistan since Taliban 2.0 have become a reality. This ''cooperative partner'' also shares some grievances.
Beijing has long asked Kabul to handover terrorists belonging to the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM). Yet, Taliban have only moved them away from the Afghanistan-China border province of Badakhshan to distant regions.
Afghan Taliban claim that handing over fellow militants will weaken their position. On the contrary, it will only reflect their seriousness. It will prove that Afghanistan would not serve as a breeding ground for terrorist activities in the region.
If these diplomatic efforts fail, the region must opt for another unified approach. And that is creating a buffer zone all across Afghanistan.
Here, Russia has recently set a precedent. It has carved out Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk and then headed to Kherson and Zaporizhzhia Oblasts.
In our case, Pakistan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and China can develop the border areas of Afghanistan as their buffer zones.
By helping the local population with incentives, the terrorists should be kept away from adjoining border provinces. Russia, too, has stakes in the Central Asian region, so it may also play a part.
For the time being, one must forget that the dream of regional connectivity would bear fruit anytime soon. However, keeping militants away will give a sigh of relief to all.
Eventually, the rulers of the landlocked Afghanistan may also realise the importance of good neighbourly relations with all.
The author is Controller News at Geo News. He posts on X at NasimHaider2 and can be reached at nasim.haidergeo.tv