'The unexpected turn of events and assertion of sovereignty by the Taliban has baffled the Pakistan security establishment.'
A joint Pakistan-Afghanistan jirga in Peshawar has called for an immediate ceasefire to de-escalate tensions between the two countries, emphasising dialogue and mutual respect.
'Islamabad feels it has no alternative, but to address the challenges from the Afghan-Taliban through an open war.'
A Pakistan minister refuted social media reports about the conclusion of the operation against Afghan Taliban, stating that the operation is continuing with full intensity.
'We need to give Pakistan something serious to think about on its eastern front -- that is the only way to actually help Afghanistan right now.'
'Non-compatible with Western Civilization' is about as vague and jingoistic as it gets and Trump saying this gives full license to his acolytes to go full throttle on making life as difficult and scary as possible for as many non-white people as possible,' notes Sree Sreenivasan.
India has upgraded its technical mission in Kabul to an embassy, with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar acknowledging the Taliban's consideration of India's security concerns. The announcement was made during talks with Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, marking a significant step in advancing ties between the two nations.
The US Geological Survey said the quake struck about 44 km (27 miles) from the city of Khost in southeastern Afghanistan and was at a depth of 51 km.
At least eight Central Intelligence Agency workers were killed in a daring suicide bomb attack in Afghanistan on Thursday.
The decision to withdraw troops from Afghanistan's Paktika and Khost provinces, thereby allowing militants to escape or seek reinforcement from the other side of the Pakistan border clearly exposes the US intentions, says a security expert.
The suicide bomber, who killed as many as seven Central Intelligence Agency officials and injured six others last week in Afghanistan was a Jordanian informant, who lured the American spy agency into a trap in the name of providing them with actionable intelligence against top Al Qaeda leaders, media reports said.
Taliban rebels are earning up to 2 lakh Pakistani rupees for each Nato soldier they kill, Times Online has said. The money usually reaches commanders via the traditional hawala transfer system which is then shared within the militia.
A senior Afghan interim government official on Monday confirmed that strikes in the Afghanistan provinces of Paktika and Khost along the Pakistan border have taken place.
A US special envoy met senior Taliban representatives in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, and discussed the issue of Afghan central bank reserves.
Pakistan, in recent months, has been increasingly frustrated by the Taliban government's reluctance to eliminate the terrorist groups, including the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
Support for the dreaded Haqqani network across the militant group's historical stronghold in eastern Afghanistan is gradually turning into "resentment" as local leaders say the Haqqani supremo's war is for "Pakistani rupees and power" and they cannot follow him "blindly".
Amid accusations by Pakistan that America deliberately sabotaged peace talks by killing Taliban chief Hakimullah Mehsud, the Unites States on Sunday said the militant group has a "symbiotic relationship" with the Al Qaeda and provided "safe haven" to terrorists.
Specially designated global terrorist Sirajuddin Haqqani, who carries a reward of $10 million US bounty on his head, is the acting interior minister while his uncle -- Khalil Haqqani -- has been named as acting minister for refugees.
The death of six Indians working on a United States Agency for International Development-funded road project between Khost and Paktia provinces in southern Afghanistan last week and confirmation from Pakistan that it is concerned over India's "over-ingress" in Afghanistan is setting the stage for a new round of regional diplomacy, when US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton comes visiting later this month.
Jalaluddin Haqqani died a year ago due to prolonged illness and was buried in Afghan province of Khost.
Despite dependence on the ISI for years of sustenance, Taliban leaders may harbour resentment over the ISI's excessive control, notes Rana Banerji, who headed the Pakistan desk at the Research and Analysis Wing.
Rajneesh Gupta profiles the cricketers playing the World Cup 2019.
