Valdai Club

The engagement of Central Asian states with the Taliban-led Afghan government has drawn significant regional and global interest. While the Central Asian republics view the Taliban as partners for economic connectivity, regional stability, and counterterrorism cooperation, Pakistan is approaching the situation from a perspective shaped by its historical ties, strategic priorities, and pressing security concerns. Pakistan, much like Central Asian states, has sought to enhance trade, regional connectivity, and security cooperation with Afghanistan.

The evolving global order has placed Europe and Asia at a crossroads, where mutual perceptions significantly influence bilateral and multilateral relations. Europe, as one of Asia's largest trading partners and a key player in global diplomacy, plays a crucial role in shaping the region’s geopolitical and economic dynamics.

Pakistan’s intellectual and political circles regard BRICS as an essential platform for advancing the nation’s strategic and economic interests globally. Achieving this goal, however, demands meticulous navigation of geopolitical challenges, particularly with India, and crafting a persuasive argument for Pakistan’s inclusion in BRICS.

With the world becoming more and more fragmented along different lines, nation-states adopting more isolationist policies combined with weaponization of international economic system, the existing global security order is bound to deteriorate in the coming years if such situation prevails for long, write Nivedita Das Kundu and Taimur Khan.