For Taliban, transition from fighting and shadow authority to effectual governance is a huge evolution

Small, indecisive and incremental steps betray confusion, are reversible and yield no discernable benefits

The rivulet that forms after glacial melt trickles to become streams has inviting sights, sounds and scenery

Our political cadre — ironically — has always forced the military’s hand

No country other than Pakistan is affected more by Afghanistan’s prosperity or turbulence

TTP carries a lot of blood on their hands and touches a raw nerve running through Pakistan’s body politic

Malakand/Swat can offer the world more, only if tourism is controlled, optimal and in sync with nature

The ‘benevolent empire’ is becoming history.

Taliban would do well to mobilise ANA’s existing cadre, integrate elements that remained compliant with their strategy

ANA had mixed — if not poor — reviews from US combat advisers and trainers on most important matrix of ‘will to fight'