Regional reset: Pak reaches out to anti-Taliban leaders

IN a move that could reshape regional dynamics, Pakistani officials will host a landmark two-day conference on August 25 and 26, bringing together a diverse array of Afghan opposition figures including exiled politicians, women's rights activists, and civil society leaders—for the first time since the Taliban seized power in 2021.

- JAYANTH JACOB @ New Delhi

Titled "Towards Unity and Trust", the Islamabad-based summit marks a significant moment in Pakistan's approach to its western neighbor. Organized by the South Asian Strategic Stability Institute and Women for Afghanistan, the event is being framed as a trust-building and academic initiative rather than a political maneuver—though its implications are anything but apolitical.

This comes amid renewed American efforts to re-engage with Afghanistan, as ties between Washington and Islamabad gain renewed significance.