In the aftermath of the September 11 2001 attacks the United States invaded Afghanistan. The Taliban leadership lost control of the country and relocated to southern Afghanistan. In 2014, the US-led coalition formally ended its combat mission in Afghanistan. This was when the ANDSF were appointed as the face of Afghan security. The ANDSF faced numerous challenges in controlling the territory and providing security to the population. The threat came mainly from the Taliban who continuously attacked rural areas and carried out suicide attacks in major cities.

The war on terror and its aftermath also had a major impact on Pakistan where terrorism and sectarian violence continued to rise under a constant threat from the Taliban and Al Qaeda militants who had fled from Afghanistan. In 2006, Pakistan saw 657 terrorist attacks. In 2007, the country experienced 1,515 incidents of terrorism. This number rose to 2,148 in 2008. In 2009 the situation was even worse with 2,586 insurgency and sectarian violence incidents. For many of the incidents, including the 2012 Parachinar bombing and the September Kashmir Chowk bombing, the Tehreek-i- Taliban Pakistan claimed responsibility.

In April 2021 President Joe Biden announced that the US military forces would leave Afghanistan by September 2021. On August 15, Taliban fighters entered Kabul and President Ashraf Ghani fled the country. After the collapse of the Ghani government the Taliban entered the Presidential Palace and took control of the city. The sudden collapse of the government has prompted a mass exodus of refugees from Afghanistan and intensified the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the country. The US claims that it has evacuated 19,000 people from Afghanistan. More than 10,000 are waiting to be evacuated at the Kabul airport.

Inside Afghanistan, a large population faces the reality of life under a Taliban government. Shariah law is bannered as the only policy in place. Most women have left their workplaces despite the Taliban assurances of a tolerant policy. Fear and uncertainty prevail.

The political response in Pakistan can be best described as an uneasy suspense. Some are concerned about spillover violence and an influx of refugees. Others are looking to keep the Taliban on Pakistan’s side for potential political benefit.