By Ramesh Raja

The Wakhan Corridor is a narrow strip of land in northeastern Afghanistan, approximately 310 kilometers long and 10–60 kilometers wide, lying between Pakistan, Tajikistan, and China, with elevations mostly above 3,500 meters. It resembles a long “arm” of Afghanistan stretching eastward into the high mountains of Central Asia and forms part of Wakhan District in Badakhshan Province. The corridor’s borders measure roughly 10–20 km with Pakistan, 40–50 km with Tajikistan, and about 20 km with China.

 It was created in the late 19th century (1893–1895) during the rivalry between British India and the Russian Empire, serving as a buffer zone to prevent the two powers from sharing a direct border. Before this, the area was part of the Gilgit-Baltistan region under joint India.

Post-19th Century History: After its creation, Afghanistan controlled the corridor, though it remained sparsely populated. Historical trade routes ran through the corridor, connecting South and Central Asia. During the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan (1979–1989), trade and cross-border movement were blocked, effectively closing this natural corridor linking Pakistan to Tajikistan.

Geography and Population

The region is mountainous, surrounded by the Pamir and Hindu Kush ranges. Around 10,000 people live in the corridor, primarily Wakhi Ismaili communities in the valleys, with Kyrgyz Sunni nomads inhabiting the high Pamirs. These communities maintain strong cultural ties with populations in Pakistan’s Hunza and Gojal areas.

The historic trade and cultural route connecting Upper Hunza and Gojal to the Wakhan Corridor spans about 90–110 km, crossing rugged mountains and high passes like Irshad Pass (4,900 m). Traditionally, goods such as salt, grains, and handicrafts were transported via horses, donkeys, and yaks. This path enabled centuries of trade, cultural exchange, and seasonal migration between Wakhi communities in Pakistan and Afghanistan, highlighting its longstanding importance for regional connectivity.

 Strategic Importance for Pakistan

The Wakhan Corridor is strategically significant for Pakistan because it separates Pakistan from Tajikistan by a narrow strip of Afghan territory. Direct access could allow Pakistan to link the Karakoram Highway (N-35) with Tajikistan’s Pamir Highway (M41), creating a shorter land route to Central Asia for trade, energy, and regional influence. The corridor’s Wakhi population also shares cultural ties with Upper Hunza communities.

While any territorial claim today would be challenging under international law and carry diplomatic risks, Pakistan could assert historical and logical arguments, as the region was historically connected with northern Pakistan before British-era buffer agreements. Periods of Afghan instability (1989–2001) presented geopolitical opportunities, though the most practical path remains negotiating transit rights and connectivity based on historical precedent.

 Construction of a Modern Highway

A modern highway connecting Pakistan to Tajikistan via the Wakhan Corridor could follow this route: starting from Gojal, Upper Hunza on the Karakoram Highway (N-35), crossing Irshad Pass (4,900 m) into Afghanistan, traversing the narrow Wakhan Corridor, and joining the Pamir Highway (M41) near Khorog, Tajikistan. The total length would be approximately 90–110 km, with 50–60 km in Pakistan and 40–50 km in Afghanistan, crossing rugged mountains, narrow valleys, and rivers like the Panj River.

Construction would face significant challenges due to high elevation, glaciers, landslides, avalanches, and seismic activity, necessitating bridges, tunnels, and retaining walls. While mostly all-weather, heavy winter snow could temporarily close sections.

Strategically, such a highway would provide Pakistan with direct land access to Tajikistan and Central Asia, reducing trade distances, boosting economic links, and opening connectivity toward Russia. The route follows ancient caravan paths historically used by horses and donkeys, preserving historic trade and cultural ties. Modern engineering could convert these paths into a safe, paved highway, enhancing Pakistan’s strategic, economic, and diplomatic influence.

 Potential Connectivity

Through the Wakhan Corridor, a modern route would connect Gojal/Hunza in Pakistan, Khorog in Tajikistan, and, indirectly, Kashgar in China via the Karakoram Highway and Pamir Highway, integrating South and Central Asia through a historically and geographically significant corridor.

Read: Sindh: Maritime Heritage and Economic Potential

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The author of this article, Engr. Ramesh Raja, is a Civil Engineer, visionary planner, PMP certified and literary enthusiast with a passion for art and recreation. He can be reached at engineer.raja@gmail.com  

The post Wakhan Corridor: Pakistan’s Gateway to Central Asia first appeared on Sindh Courier.

By Nazarul Islam | USA 

The opioid crisis has devastated human beings globally. In United States, this has been more than any other country, and the epidemic is getting worse. While opioid prescriptions have decreased by more than 40% from its peak in 2010, unfortunately, opioid-related overdose deaths have not declined but continued to increase.

Historically, one of the key players Pakistan has remained a major transit country for opioids originating in neighboring Afghanistan—which has traditionally been the world’s primary opium producer. However, in late 2024 and 2025, a significant shift has occurred: following the Taliban’s strict ban on opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan, Pakistan is reportedly emerging as the leading hub for global opium production.

Role in Production

Historical Context: Pakistan successfully reduced its domestic opium cultivation significantly by the early 2000s through robust government efforts and international assistance, achieving near “poppy-free” status in some areas.

Recent Resurgence (2024-2025): The situation changed dramatically after the 2022 Afghan opium ban. Afghan farmers, expertise, and capital have migrated across the border into Pakistan, particularly into the remote and lawless Balochistan province. This has led to a significant increase in poppy cultivation in Pakistan, with some reports indicating unrestrained farming on a large scale.

Current Status: With the dramatic fall in Afghan production, some security analysts and experts suggest that the opium crop in Pakistan in 2025 will exceed that of Afghanistan, making it the new leading producer.

Role in Smuggling

Primary Transit Route: Pakistan has consistently been a vital part of the “southern route” for smuggling Afghan opiates to international markets, including the Gulf States, Africa, China, and Europe. An estimated 40% of drugs from Afghanistan traditionally routed through Pakistan.

Logistics: The long, porous border between Afghanistan and Pakistan, especially in regions like Balochistan and the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), facilitates this illicit movement.

Infrastructure: Drug cartels and transnational criminal groups within Pakistan are involved in processing raw opium into heroin and then smuggling it through various means, including land routes to Iran and container ports like Karachi.

Impact: The illicit drug trade funds criminal and potentially terrorist groups, posing significant security and health challenges for Pakistan, which has a high rate of domestic opioid addiction.

The World Drug Report highlights developments across the global drug market to explain the factors that drive the world’s consumption, production and trafficking of illicit drugs. The report presents a comprehensive analysis of key drug markets, namely opium/heroin, coca/cocaine, amphetamine-type stimulants and cannabis. For each of these drug types, the report analyses trends in production, consumption, trafficking and prices.

Drug markets and drug usage patterns change rapidly, requiring measures to stop them to adapt promptly too. Thus, for the international community to be better prepared to respond to new challenges, this report has been an attempt at ensuring the availability of comprehensive and up to date data.

Pakistan’s geographic location makes it vulnerable to the threat of drug usage and trafficking.  Afghanistan produces 90 percent of the world’s opium. The fact that poppy growing Afghan provinces (Helmund, Kandahar and Nimroz) neighbour Pakistan, makes it a lucrative trafficking route for Afghan opiates.

Jeremy Douglas, Representative UNODC stressed “Pakistan is particularly vulnerable to the trafficking of Afghan opiates and this poses a burden on public health, criminal justice and security systems.

Currently, Afghanistan is producing almost 90% of the total world opium and heroin, of which almost 40% trafficked through Pakistan or over 35% of the global total. During transition, these drugs are also consumed in the local market and, therefore, are a source of increasing addiction in our country. These drugs also benefit criminal groups along drug trafficking routes. Afghan opium production has resulted in negative social, health and economic consequences for Pakistan – which has claimed to be a victim country.

The World Drug Report highlights developments across the global drug market to explain the factors that drive the world’s consumption, production and trafficking of illicit drugs. The report presents a comprehensive analysis of key drug markets, namely opium/heroin, coca/cocaine, amphetamine-type stimulants and cannabis. For each of these drug types, the report analyses trends in production, consumption, trafficking and prices.

Drug markets and drug usage patterns change rapidly, requiring measures to stop them to adapt promptly too. Thus, for the international community to be better prepared to respond to new challenges, this report is an attempt at ensuring the availability of comprehensive and up to date data.

Pakistan’s geographic location makes it vulnerable to the threat of drug usage and trafficking.  Afghanistan produces 90 percent of the world’s opium. The fact that poppy growing Afghan provinces (Helmund, Kandahar and Nimroz) neighboring Pakistan, makes it a lucrative trafficking route for Afghan opiates. Jeremy Douglas, Representative UNODC.

Pakistan is particularly vulnerable to the trafficking of Afghan opiates and this poses a burden on public health, criminal justice and security systems.”

Mr. Iftikhar Ahmed stated “At present, Afghanistan is producing almost 90% of the total world opium and heroin, of which almost 40% trafficked through Pakistan or over 35% of the global total.

During transition, these drugs are also consumed in the local market and, therefore, are a source of increasing addiction in our country. These drugs also benefit criminal groups along drug trafficking routes. Afghan opium production has resulted in negative social, health and economic consequences for Pakistan – we are a victim country.

The Government of Pakistan, in collaboration with international partners like the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), is engaged in counter-narcotics efforts, including law enforcement operations and border control measures, to combat both cultivation and trafficking.

With greater scrutiny on prescription opioids, many users around the globe have switched to the cheaper and more readily available heroin that drove up heroin-related overdose deaths from 2010 to peak in 2016, being overtaken by the spike in synthetic opioid (mostly fentanyl)-related overdose deaths.

The surge in fentanyl-related overdose deaths since 2013 is alarming as fentanyl is more potent and deadly. One thing is certain the opioid crisis is not improving but has become dire with the surge in fentanyl-related overdose deaths. Evidence-based strategies have to be implemented in the U.S. to control this epidemic before it destroys more lives.

Other countries, including European countries and Canada, have invested more in harm reduction strategies than the U.S. even though they (especially Europe) do not face anywhere near the level of crisis as the U.S.

In the long-run, upstream measures (tackling the social determinants of health) are more effective public health strategies to control the epidemic. In the meantime, however, harm reduction strategies have to be employed to mitigate the harm from addiction and overdose deaths.

Being the global leader, United States is facing an opioid epidemic that is worse than anywhere else in the world. Mortality data from drug overdoses of 13 member countries in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development show that the U.S. has more than twice the drug overdose death rates than any other country.

Preliminary data released by the National Center for Health Statistics indicate that in 2020, during the pandemic, the U.S. witnessed the largest alarming increase in drug overdose deaths and opioid-related overdose deaths in particular—drug overdose deaths increased by 29.4%, led by opioid-related overdose deaths increasing by 36.8%. During 2020, there were 93,331 drug overdose deaths, of which 69,710 (74.7%) were related to opioids.

Overdose death is only the tip of the iceberg of a much larger underlying drug addiction and drug misuse problem. The opioid crisis is a culmination of a multitude of factors, ranging from laxity in opioid prescriptions and addictiveness of opioids to failed policy in prevention and treatment.

Staying on the same course is not a viable option that witnessed the spiraling out-of-control devastation of lives, and the pandemic year only dealt a further blow to the dire situation. The U.S. has to adopt a different approach to the opioid crisis to stem and turn the tide.

In the 1990s, Purdue Pharmaceuticals marketed the extended-release oxycodone (OxyContin) as an analgesic with low abuse potential. There was a push for physicians to treat pain adequately. Consequently, the first wave of the epidemic saw opioid prescription rates increase to 81.2 prescriptions per 100 persons in 2010, enough to medicate every American adult around the clock for a whole month.

Opioid prescribing rates have since declined by more than 40% to 46.7 prescriptions per 100 persons in 2019.3Prescription opioid-related overdose deaths climbed from 3,442 in 1999 to peak at 17,029 in 2017, stabilizing at over 14,000 and accounting for over 28% of all opioid-related deaths in 2019.

Heroin use surged in the second wave as many prescription drug abusers switched to the cheaper and more easily available heroin.

Heroin-related overdose deaths increased from 3,036 in 2010 to peak at 15,469 in 2016, stabilizing at over 14,000 and accounting for over 28% of all opioid-related deaths in 2019.

The opioid crisis is worsening as the third wave is driven by synthetic opioids, particularly fentanyl and its analogues, which are more lethal due to their higher potency. Synthetic opioid-related overdose deaths rose from 3,105 in 2013 to more than 36,000 in 2019, accounting for nearly 73% of the opioid overdose deaths in 2019. Overall opioid overdose deaths increased from 2018 to 2019 by over 6%, driven by an increase of over 15% in fentanyl-related overdose deaths.

This review emphasizes the public health approach to opioid addiction, supporting evidence based harm reduction strategies that have been underutilized in this country but have gained a greater foothold in other developed countries.

STRATEGIES

Past practices in controlling the opioid epidemic have failed as evidenced by the worsening opioid crisis. In 2017, Health and Human Services launched a five-point strategy to combat the opioid crisis, emphasizing science- and evidence-based practices. Importantly, it advocates for greater access to addiction prevention, treatment, and recovery services.

The public health approach to opioid addiction moves away from law enforcement and the criminalization of addiction to treating it as a disease and emphasizing harm reduction strategies. Other developed countries, including Europe and Canada, have invested more than the U.S. in harm reduction strategies and provided more patient-centered services (e.g., safe injection sites and medication-assisted treatment dispensed through pharmacies that are not found in the U.S.).

Role of Naloxone

Naloxone is a competitive mu-opioid receptor antagonist used to reverse an opioid overdose. Naloxone (Narcan) nasal spray, approved in 2015, is easy to use, even by laypersons. In a study of first responders and community-based organizations, naloxone nasal spray, containing 4 mg dose per device, was found to be successful in the reversal of opioid overdose in 98.8% of cases, most of which were heroin overdoses.

The majority of the cases had a response within 5 minutes of naloxone administration and required no more than two units of the naloxone spray.8 One opioid that is relatively resistant to the effective reversal by naloxone is buprenorphine that has a high affinity to mu-opioid receptors.

The Surgeon General and health organizations in the US call for the distribution of naloxone to laypersons as drug overdoses are often witnessed by bystanders. In recent years, fentanyl and fentanyl analogs were involved in the majority of opioid overdose deaths.

Due to its high potency, opioid-reversing drug has to be administered at a high enough dose and quickly. On April 30, 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a higher dosage (8 mg) naloxone nasal spray. Additionally, distributing naloxone kits to laypersons such as family members and friends, including other drug users, so that they are easily accessible and readily available, becomes more pressing.

Opioid prescription rates vary substantially from state to state; hence, the need for clinical practice guidelines. Higher prescription rates are found in rural, impoverished counties, and among Medicaid populations. In response to the opioid crisis, in 2016, the CDC issued opioid prescribing guidelines for chronic non-cancer pain, excluding cancer treatment, palliative treatment, and end-of-life care.

Among the recommendations are preferring non-pharmacological and non-opioid pharmacological therapy over opioid therapy for long-term pain management; prescribing at the lowest effective dose; reviewing the prescription drug monitoring programs; limiting the duration of opioid therapy; and offering or arranging for evidence-based treatment (e.g., medication-assisted treatment) for patients with opioid use disorder.

A study on the impact of the CDC guidelines found that after their implementation, the amount of post-surgery opioids prescribed—and consumed—for elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy decreased from 250 mg to 75 mg and from 30 mg to 20 mg, respectively.

The CDC guidelines might have saved more lives if they were made earlier when prescription opioid misuse was on the rise from at least 1999. Nevertheless, any reduction in opioid prescriptions would have a positive impact to the extent that prescription opioids are the “gateway drugs” to illicit drug use.

Opium Laws

Pill mill laws were introduced in some states as a result of the proliferation of pain clinics (pill mills) where opioids were irresponsibly prescribed in large quantities, often for cash. In mid-2000s, Florida was the epicenter of the prescription opioid epidemic and the metacenter for the prescription opioid trade.

In 2010 and 2011, medication laws were introduced in Florida that impose strict regulations on pain clinics, requiring medical examinations and follow-ups when prescribing opioids for chronic pain, among other requirements.

Before the intervention, Florida had higher prescription opioid and total opioid overdose death rates than North Carolina. However, after the intervention, both prescription opioid and total opioid overdose death rates decreased in Florida but they stabilized and increased, respectively, in North Carolina.

Additionally, while heroin overdose death rates increased in both states, reflecting national trends, the increase was lower in Florida than North Carolina. Medicine production laws have the potential of slowing down the opioid epidemic.

Prescription Drug Monitoring Program

All states, with the exception of Missouri, have statewide prescription drug monitoring programs. They are electronic databases that track duplicate prescriptions obtained through doctor shopping and pill mills. PDMP requirements vary from state to state, such as mandatory vs. voluntary use, real-time vs. periodic query, and types of providers and other professionals granted access to records in PDMP.

A study of 16 states in the US reflects

Differential impact of PDMP in reducing prescription opioid overdose in different communities. In counties with greater access to opioids through the medical system, as opposed to the non-medical or illicit routes, PDMP produced a bigger reduction in prescription opioid overdose with a smaller increase in heroin overdose.

Safe Injection Sites

Safe injection sites—also known as safe consumption sites and supervised injecting facilities—are public facilities that allow individuals to consume drugs in a supervised setting. They are found in Canada, Australia, and Western Europe but not in the U.S.

They were found to decrease opioid overdoses and overdose deaths, hospitalizations, use of emergency medical services, and facilitate entry into treatment for substance use disorders.

A national survey of the U.S. adults shows that the majority were not in favor of legalizing such consumption sites due to the stigma toward people who use opioids.15Nevertheless, some cities, including Denver, Ithaca, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Seattle, are considering opening such sites. Future studies on the impact of such sites on the community would help to shape public opinion and guide policy.

Medication-Assisted Treatment

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone for the treatment of opioid addiction. Extensive research has shown that medication-assisted treatment is superior in treatment outcomes to non-medication-based therapies in reducing opioid use, overdoses and overdose deaths, and improving social functions and quality of life.

In a study of 699 adults randomized to either methadone or buprenorphine/naloxone and followed for at least 5 years, only 20.7% of them were abstinent from heroin and other opioids during the preceding 5 year period.

Relapse rates were high. However, opioid use disorder as a “chronic disease” is not unique among medically managed chronic diseases, including hypertension, diabetes, and asthma, to suffer sub-optimal adherence to medications and less than optimal treatment outcomes.

Medicated-assisted treatment may need to be lifelong and “recovery” defined as retention in treatment, reduction in illicit drug use, and improvement in quality of life.

New Buprenorphine Practice Guidelines

One of the barriers faced by health care practitioners in providing treatment for opioid use disorder is the certification requirement related to training and the provision of counseling and ancillary services (i.e., psychosocial services) to qualify for a waiver to prescribe buprenorphine for treatment.

Effective April 28, 2021, to expand access to treatment, Health and Human Services issued new buprenorphine practice guidelines that exempt all eligible practitioners—physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, certified registered nurse anesthetists, and certified nurse midwives—from the certification requirement for prescribing buprenorphine for opioid use disorder for up to 30 patients.

Extended-release Oxycodone (OxyContin) Reformulation

Extended-release oxycodone (OxyContin) contains higher doses of oxycodone than the immediate-release oxycodone. The extended-release formulation could potentially, unless tampered with, reduce abuse through the delay in opioid absorption.

OxyContin was reformulated in 2010 to be resistant to crushing or dissolving to deter abuse. After the reformulation, among those who had previously misused OxyContin specifically relative to those who had misused other prescription pain relievers (mostly opioids), there was greater reduction in prescription pain reliever misuse and smaller increase in new heroin use.

Drug overdoses are often witnessed by other drug users who may be hesitant to call 911 due to fear of arrest. Good Samaritan laws protect bystanders calling 911 when witnessing an overdose. However, a survey of persons who inject drugs in Baltimore found that only 18.8% knew about the Good Samaritan law.

CONCLUSION

As a public health strategy, long-term interventions with upstream measures will be more effective in controlling the epidemic. Naloxone- and medication-assisted treatment reduce harm from drug misuse and addiction but do not get at the root causes of the problem. Nevertheless, in the meantime, evidence-based harm.

It is difficult to live without opium after having known it because it is difficult, after knowing opium, to take earth seriously. And unless one is a saint, it is difficult to live without taking earth seriously.

Perhaps there is always a need for intoxication: China has opium, Islam has hashish, the West has woman. Andre Malraux It is not opium which makes me work but its absence, and in order for me to feel its absence it must from time to time be present. Antonin Artaud Under the pressure of the cares and sorrows of our mortal condition, men have at all times, and in all countries, called in some physical aid to their moral consolations—wine, beer, opium, brandy, or tobacco.

Read: Pornography Addiction in Society

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The Bengal-born writer Nazarul Islam is a senior educationist based in USA. He writes for Sindh Courier and the newspapers of Bangladesh, India and America. He is author of a recently published book ‘Chasing Hope’ – a compilation of his articles.

The post The Curse of Opium first appeared on Sindh Courier.

Momina Khan

Bagram Airbase, the once US stronghold and epicenter of American presence in Afghanistan has once again gained prominence after President Trump publicly demanded the return of the base from the Taliban regime. The Bagram Airbase, located in the Parwan province was initially built by the Russians in the 1950’s and was later on run by Washington during its war in Afghanistan. The base was eventually vacated in 2021 as a part of the US withdrawal strategy. This abandoned military airbase, which was home to approximately thousands of soldiers alongside being the largest American base in Afghanistan features well preserved concrete runways, hangars, control tower and a hospital. President Trump now seems to be interested in retaking control of the well-equipped airbase, where millions of dollars were spent on advanced infrastructure and logistical capabilities.

During a joint conference with the British Premier, President Trump reiterated his call of reestablishing US presence at the strategically significant Bagram airbase by stating, “That could be a little breaking news. We’re trying to get it back because they need things from us. We want the base back.”

President Trump had suspended the funding for humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan back in January 2025 which has negatively impacted the lives of millions of vulnerable Afghans across the country. The Taliban regime has been appealing for economic and diplomatic normalization and might be looking for a breakthrough, which President Trump has hinted in his statement.

Bagram Airbase, a stark reminder of US power is far too significant to be abandoned. Located in the Parwan province, it is well connected to key cities and has been of vital strategic importance throughout history. Modern day Bagram was initially conquered by the Persian Empire and later on Alexander the Great ended up settling there while looking for a strong base at the foothills of the Hindu Kush.

During Alexander’s time, the city was named after him and was called “Alexandria of the Caucasus”.Bagram also served as the summer capital of the Kushan dynasty, thus promoting elaborate interaction of art and religion. Hence, since ancient times Bagram’s control was considered crucial for commercial and military dominance in the region.

The 2021 chaotic American withdrawal from Afghanistan is the repetition of a tactical miscalculation leading to strategic and economic vacuum in Afghanistan, thus replaying discordant notes of the past. The previous US disengagement from Afghanistan after the Soviets left had led to an internal civil war amongst various Mujahideen groups. The Taliban later on emerged from these groups and seized control of the country eventually supplying a training base for Osama bin Laden.

In 2021 President Trump voiced his worry on China’s increasing engagement in Afghanistan during an interview with Fox News. He registered his concerns by stating that China would “take over Bagram.”After the recent Taliban takeover, Beijing has formed a multi-pronged policy with the Afghan government, prioritizing its security interests and has obtained security guarantees from the Taliban regime. While the American withdrawal was in process in 2021, a Taliban delegation met the Chinese foreign minister in Tianjin where, “the delegation assured China that they will not allow anyone to use Afghan soil against China.”

One of China’s primary security concerns tends to be from East Turkmenistan Islamic movement whose main is to liberate the Xinjiang province from the Chinese. Furthermore China is interested in a relatively stable Afghanistan which would thus enable the protection of its economic interests. At the same time China also hopes to work with international and regional powers to ensure peace and stability across the region. With respect to the American decision to reestablish the US presence at the Bagram Airbase, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian responded by saying that, “The future of Afghanistan should be in the hands of Afghan people.” He further stressed that, “stirring up tension and confrontation in the region will not be supported.”

America’s recent domineering strategy with regards to reclaiming Bagram can visibly disrupt regional stability alongside dragging Pakistan into another regional quagmire. Mired in turmoil and political strife, Pakistan is already grappling with security challenges related to insurgency movements and terrorism. Frequent disputes at Pak Afghan border along with domestic terrorist acts by Tehrik-e-Taliban and Baluch insurgents are obvious obstacles to Pakistan’s security. While dealing with these security threats, mere implementation of military strategies have not yet yielded desired results and amidst this instability, any foreign intervention in Afghanistan could create further complications for the Pakistani state. Being already riddled with security threats, Pakistan has limited capacity to handle additional geopolitical dilemmas and any misadventure across Afghan border could deteriorate its precarious security scenario.

Read: Ripple effect of Israeli attack on Doha

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The writer is a freelance journalist focusing on politics, international relations and tourism.

The post The Unforgettable Bagram Airbase first appeared on Sindh Courier.

Kabul

The Taliban administration has banned citizens of the United States and Pakistan from entering the Wakhan Corridor, a narrow mountainous region in northeastern Afghanistan bordering Tajikistan, China, and Pakistan. The announcement was reported by the news agency IRAF.

Afghan authorities said the decision was made due to “security concerns and rising tensions along the borders.” Relations between Kabul and Islamabad have sharply deteriorated in recent months, particularly in border areas.

The Wakhan Corridor is a strategically important 295-kilometer strip of land connecting Afghanistan to China and potentially providing access to Central Asia. Control over the corridor is seen as a key factor in regional influence.

Afghan analysts suggest the ban may be a response to earlier threats from Pakistani military circles, who reportedly discussed Islamabad’s ambition to gain access to Central Asia via the Wakhan and Tajikistan.

Meanwhile, during a meeting with Afghan Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani in Kabul, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called for the resumption of joint patrols in the corridor. “China supports the swift restoration of bilateral monitoring to ensure peace and stability along the border,” stated China’s foreign ministry.

Analysts believe the entry restrictions could strengthen the Taliban’s control over the area, but may also further strain relations with Pakistan and impact the broader geopolitical dynamics in the region.

Read: Taliban Regime Downsize Afghan Army

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Courtesy: Central Asian Light (Posted on August 28, 2025)

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• 27 Protesters received injuries. The violence began after Taliban units were dispatched to the district to destroy poppy fields

Kabul

At least eight civilians, including a young girl, have been killed and 27 others wounded in the district of Khash, Badakhshan province, following gunfire by Taliban forces during protests, local sources told Afghanistan International (Afintl.af) on Tuesday.

Medical staff at a local hospital in Badakhshan confirmed that the fatalities occurred over two days of unrest. Six people, including a woman, were reportedly killed on Monday, while two more died on Tuesday. The condition of several of the injured remains critical.

Earlier reports cited five deaths and at least 20 injuries in the clashes. Hospital sources later revised the toll upward as more casualties were confirmed.

Taliban-appointed governor of Badakhshan, Mohammad Ayoub Khalid, acknowledged the civilian deaths in an interview with the BBC. He claimed the casualties were the result of “accidental fire” by Taliban forces. He also confirmed that Special Forces were deployed to Khash to suppress the protests.

The violence began after Taliban units were dispatched to the district to destroy poppy fields. The killing of local farmers triggered widespread anger among residents, who blocked roads leading to Faizabad and Baharak and stormed the district administration building, damaging parts of the facility.

This is not the first time Taliban forces have clashed with local farmers in Badakhshan, a province known for significant opium cultivation. Similar confrontations occurred last year in Jurm district after Taliban attempts to eradicate poppy crops.

Recently, the Afghanistan Analysts Network reported that the Taliban’s efforts to enforce a nationwide drug ban have largely failed in Badakhshan. The report noted that some local Taliban officials have been unwilling to implement the ban, despite direct orders from the group’s leadership.

In response, farmers have adopted more covert methods to continue poppy cultivation such as disguising crops among other plants, farming in enclosed or remote areas, leasing land, or partnering with local residents to evade detection.

Read: Taliban detain dozens Afghan Protestors

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Courtesy: Central Asian Light (Posted on July 2, 2025)

The post Afghan Taliban kill 8 Protesters first appeared on Sindh Courier.

Kabul

The Taliban’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry has stated that the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel has had no impact on trade flows or commodity prices in Afghanistan, Afintl.af reports.

Abdul Salam Jawad, spokesperson for the ministry, told the Taliban-controlled Radio Television Afghanistan that “the import, transit, and supply of goods in domestic markets are proceeding normally.” His remarks were published on Monday.

Jawad added that the prices of essential goods remain stable across the country and are consistent with established benchmarks. He dismissed reports of food shortages as “personal opinions” not reflective of the broader market situation.

The comments come amid growing regional concerns about the impact of the Iran-Israel war on neighboring economies. Earlier, Attaullah Omari, the Taliban’s Minister of Agriculture, warned that rising tensions could disrupt Afghanistan’s trade with Iran. Speaking at the 2025 Russia Economic Forum in St. Petersburg, Omari said the Taliban is in discussions with Moscow to ensure continued food imports.

“We still rely on some food items that come from Iran, and if problems arise there, it will undoubtedly have its effects,” Omari told Reuters.

Iran supplies Afghanistan with a range of goods, including dairy products, while Russia and Kazakhstan remain the country’s primary sources of wheat and flour. Russia also exports sugar and vegetable oil to Afghanistan.

Afghanistan became the largest buyer of Russian flour in 2024 and increased its domestic wheat production by 10% last year, reaching 4.83 million metric tons. The country’s annual wheat consumption is estimated at 6.8 million metric tons.

“For the past four years, since the withdrawal of the Americans, we have been making efforts to provide our essential food supplies ourselves,” Omari said. “The remaining amount, including flour and wheat, is supplied annually by Russia.”

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Courtesy: Central Asian Light (Posted on June 23, 2025)

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Kabul

Amir Khan Muttaqi, Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), on Thursday announced that Iranian pilgrims returning from Saudi Arabia to their country via Afghanistan will be exempt from visa requirements for a period of one month, Afintl.af reports.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the announcement was made during a meeting with Alireza Bigdeli, acting ambassador of Iran in Kabul. Muttaqi stated that relevant authorities in Herat province have been instructed to take all necessary measures to ensure the safe and secure transit of the pilgrims.

He also condemned Israel’s recent attacks on Iran, calling them a clear violation of international law, and reaffirmed Afghanistan’s solidarity with the Iranian people.

In response, the Iranian envoy expressed gratitude for the visa exemption and the facilitation efforts provided by the Islamic Emirate, calling it a commendable step toward strengthening bilateral relations. He expressed hope for the smooth and successful transit of Iranian pilgrims.

Afghanistan and Turkmenistan Set to Expand Transport and Transit Cooperation

According to another report, Afghanistan and Turkmenistan are poised to significantly expand their transport and transit cooperation, the Afghan Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation announced, Orient.tm reports.

On June 18, Acting Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation of Afghanistan, Mawlawi Hamidullah Akhundzada, held a meeting in Kabul with the Ambassador of Turkmenistan, Khoja Ovezov. During the discussion, the Afghan official noted that the current geopolitical climate is favorable for strengthening bilateral engagement.

According to a statement from the Afghan ministry, the two sides discussed ways to enhance mutual relations, increase the volume of commercial freight transportation, and streamline visa issuance procedures for Afghan truck drivers.

Ambassador Ovezov reaffirmed Ashgabat’s commitment to deepening cooperation with Afghanistan across multiple sectors, with particular emphasis on transport and transit connectivity.

Radio Television of Afghanistan reported that in the current period, political, economic, and trade ties between Kabul and the countries of Central Asia have reached an unprecedented level of development.

Read: Observations of an Expat: Bombing Iran

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Courtesy: Central Asian Light (Posted on June 19, 2025)

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Taliban regime caused unparalleled gender inequality and disparities –UN Report

New York

In the past decade, the UN has bemoaned the chronically low level of participation by Afghan women and girls in decision-making bodies and in secondary and higher education.

But recently, the level of participation has reached a new low – zero.

Zero women in national or local decision-making bodies.

Zero girls projected to be in secondary education following a December 2024 ban.

These numbers are part of the index released by gender equality agency UN Women, which is the most comprehensive study on gender inequality in Afghanistan since the Taliban resumed de facto control in 2021.

It paints a sobering picture of the state of gender equality in Afghanistan.

“Since [2021], we have witnessed a deliberate and unprecedented assault on the rights, dignity and very existence of Afghan women and girls. And yet, despite near-total restrictions on their lives, Afghan women persevere,” said Sofia Calltorp, UN Women chief of humanitarian action, at a briefing in Geneva.

Second-widest gender gap in the world

The report released by UN Women noted that while the Taliban regime has presided over “unparalleled” gender inequality, disparities existed long before 2021.

“The issue of gender inequality in Afghanistan didn’t start with the Taliban. Their institutionalized discrimination is layered on top of deep-rooted barriers that also hold women back,” Ms. Calltorp said.

According to the index, Afghanistan currently has the second-worst gender gap in the world, with a 76 per cent disparity between women’s and men’s achievements in health, education, financial inclusion and decision-making.

Afghan women are currently realizing only 17 per cent of their potential, and recent policies by the de facto government — including the December 2024 ban on women in secondary education and the increasingly stringent restrictions on women’s movement — will perpetuate and perhaps worsen this under-realized potential.

Systematic exclusion and social effects

This sort of systematic exclusion of women from society at all levels not only impedes progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and gender equality but also exacerbates poverty and instability more broadly, making it harder for the economy to diversify labour sources.

“Afghanistan’s greatest resource is its women and girls. Their potential continues to be untapped,” said UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous.

Right now, only 24 per cent of women are part of the labour force, compared to 89 per cent of men. Continued protracted economic strife has led to the number of women in the workforce increasing.

“Overlapping economic, political, and humanitarian crises — all with women’s rights at their core — have pushed many households to the brink. In response – often out of sheer necessity — more women are entering the workforce,” Ms. Calltorp said.

Nevertheless, women are still predominantly working in lower-paid and less secure positions and are overwhelmingly responsible for all unpaid domestic work.

Ms. Calltorp noted that despite the “devastating” daily constraints that Afghan women face, they continue to advocate for themselves and their rights.

“[Afghan women] continue to find ways to run businesses and advocate for their rights – and the rights of all Afghans…Their courage and resilience spans generations,” Ms. Calltorp said.

Stark choices

Alongside a deteriorating gender equality landscape, the aid outlook in Afghanistan is increasingly bleak with only 18 per cent of the 2025 humanitarian response plan for Afghanistan funded.

This is having tangible impacts on the ground, leading UN agencies and partners to call for action and funds.

“Time and time again in Afghanistan, we have seen how donor support can be the difference between life and death…We make an urgent appeal to donors to increase flexible, timely and predictable funding,” they said.

Women, girls and other vulnerable groups are particularly impacted by these funding shortages — 300 nutrition sites for malnourished mothers and children have shut and 216 gender-based violence points have suspended work impacting over one million women and girls.

“The choices we make now will reveal what we stand for as a global community. If the world tolerates the erasure of Afghan women and girls, it sends a message that the rights of women and girls everywhere are fragile and expendable,” Ms. Calltorp said.

“Afghan women and girls haven’t given up, and we will not give up on them.”

Read: Mass floggings of Men and Women in Afghanistan Continues

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Courtesy: UN News

The post Afghan Women Face Social Marginalization first appeared on Sindh Courier.

• According to independent sources, demonstrators chanted slogans in support of former Vice President Abdul Rashid Dostum

Kabul

Dozens of protesters were detained by Taliban forces in Faryab province, northern Afghanistan, following a demonstration against the group’s local police administration in Dawlatabad district, Afghanistan International (Afintl.af) reports, citing local sources.

According to at least four independent sources, demonstrators chanted slogans in support of former Vice President Abdul Rashid Dostum—“Long live Dostum!”—and entered the district police headquarters. The protest was sparked by the arrest of several young men involved in an altercation allegedly related to harassment of girls during Eid celebrations in Dawlatabad.

Crowds gathered outside the Taliban police station demanding the release of the detainees. In response, Taliban forces reportedly carried out additional arrests and tightened security in the area. Some protesters stormed the police building, prompting a harsh reaction from Taliban personnel.

Eyewitnesses said Taliban fighters, some in civilian clothing, began searching homes to locate demonstrators. The district center has since been effectively locked down, and residents now fear leaving their homes due to the risk of arrest.

Video footage from the scene shows large crowds assembled around the police compound. The exact number of those detained remains unclear, with estimates ranging from 35 to 100 people.

The Taliban has yet to issue an official statement regarding the incident.

Read: Opposition mounts pressure on Taliban

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Courtesy: Central Asian Light (Posted on June 11, 2025)  

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Kabul

A Taliban team deployed to destroy opium poppy fields in Badakhshan’s Jurm district has withdrawn amid growing internal tensions and local unrest, sources told Afghanistan International (Afintl,af).

Local sources said dissatisfaction is mounting among Taliban members from the province, with tensions further fuelled by the killing of a Taliban fighter in the provincial capital, Faizabad.

According to the sources, a Badakhshani Taliban member was shot dead by another Taliban fighter in Faizabad, inflaming divisions within the group’s local ranks.

Fasihuddin Fitrat, the Taliban’s Chief of Army Staff and himself a Badakhshani, is reportedly seeking to maintain tight control of the situation to prevent new protests in the province. However, discontent among Taliban members from Badakhshan reportedly remains high.

Meanwhile, the Taliban team assigned to eradicate poppy crops has now withdrawn from Jurm district, where intense clashes between local residents and Taliban forces had erupted over the past week.

Sources said the family of a farmer killed during the clashes was paid 400,000 Afghanis ($5755) in compensation, while families of those injured received 20,000 Afghanis each.

The village of Farghamanj in Jurm district has been the focal point of the unrest, with residents resisting the Taliban’s efforts to destroy poppy fields.

Amid the growing tensions, Abdul Haq Wasiq, head of the Taliban’s intelligence agency, visited Badakhshan on 27 May and held meetings with local officials in an effort to ease the situation.

Although public protests have reportedly subsided for now, local sources say dissatisfaction remains widespread and internal divisions within the Taliban persist.

Read: UN reports 30% increase in opium production In Afghanistan

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Courtesy: Central Asian Light (Posted on June 4, 2025)

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