Afghanistan Peace Process Outlook

The Doha Peace Accord between the United States and the Taliban has rekindled hope for peace in war-torn Afghanistan. Against this backdrop, this paper endeavours to depict a holistic picture of the Afghan Peace Process. It explores the ongoing situation in the country and its impact on geopolitics of the region. It also discusses the impact of the American drawdown, future prospects of intra-Afghan dialogue with possible scenarios if the peace process fails. The role of Afghanistan's neighbouring countries in consolidating peace has been highlighted. Pakistan's concerns with regard to stability, including, inter alia, return of Afghan refugees, Afghanistan's status as a narco state and India's efforts to play the spoiler's role have been looked into in detail. The paper concludes that the most plausible solution to Afghanistan's stability lies in maintaining ethnic and religious balance in Afghan society; establishment of a peaceful political system within and without; and work on making the country a stable bridge between South and Central Asia.