FATA, TALIBAN, AND SECURITY CONCERNS OF AFGHANISTAN

In the new millennium Terrorism has emerged as a global threat. After 9/11 -attacks on US World Trade Centre by Al Qaeda, United States started an International War against Terrorism. The US aimed at putting an end to the Taliban network operating from Afghanistan and from Pakistan-Afghanistan border. FATA region of Pakistan that borders Pakistan-Afghanistan border was and is home to training and operations of Taliban networks. The fragile Durand border makes possible the easy movements of terrorist networks. Even after 20 years, US could not be said to have received a decisive victory in the war. US is not even successful in controlling Taliban activities or networks or bring peace and development to Afghanistan. As US has started withdrawing its forces from Afghanistan, there is every possibility that Taliban will grab power in Afghanistan once again. Taliban is not only a concern for Afghanistan but as well it is a concern for Pakistan. In order to control the Taliban problem, Pakistan decided to cut the roots of these groups by bringing FATA into Pakistan's mainstream. Pakistan believed that thereby it can put an end to the militant history of FATA. Academics and policymakers have often concentrated on Taliban's role in Afghanistan and emerging security threats. However, there is a need to look at this problem not only as an internal security matter of Afghanistan but also look at a bit neglected aspect of implications of FATA-KP merger on Afghanistan. The paper tries to establish the link between FATA-Taliban and Afghanistan and tries to find out the security implications of FATA-KP merger for Afghanistan.