Pakistan is reassessing its long-standing approach to Afghanistan amid deepening tensions with the Taliban government, U.S.-based publication New Lines reported, citing sources who say Islamabad is exploring political alternatives in Kabul.

According to the report, Pakistan has revived political contacts with members of the Afghan opposition party after months of deteriorating relations with the Taliban. Sources described Islamabad as“considering scenarios” that could reshape the political balance in Afghanistan.

The publication said Pakistan's security calculus has shifted sharply in recent months, driven by the Taliban's warming ties with India, stalled peace initiatives, and the surge in attacks by Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a group Islamabad considers its most urgent security challenge.

New Lines reported that Pakistani intelligence officials believe the Taliban leadership has grown increasingly unresponsive to security concerns, particularly regarding TTP networks operating across the border. Islamabad fears this trend could undermine its domestic stability.

Pakistan's involvement in Afghan affairs is not new. For decades, Islamabad played a pivotal role in shaping political outcomes in Kabul, supporting mujahideen factions in the 1980s and maintaining close, if complicated, relations with the Taliban during and after their rise in the 1990s.

Analysts say Pakistan's current concerns echo previous periods of strategic anxiety, especially when Kabul's alignment drifted toward New Delhi. India's expanding diplomatic outreach to the Taliban has heightened Islamabad's unease, reviving old geopolitical rivalries in South Asia.

The report said Pakistan has the military capability and intelligence networks to pressure Taliban leaders, given its decades-long familiarity with the group's structure. However, any aggressive strategy risks destabilizing Afghanistan further and generating a new wave of refugees.

Sources told the publication that Islamabad has quietly opened communication channels with representatives of the Afghan opposition party, signaling interest in exploring alternative political arrangements should relations with the Taliban continue to deteriorate.

Opposition figures have reportedly treated Pakistan's outreach with caution. Members of the party told the publication that Islamabad has historically tried to influence Afghan political groups and that any engagement must align with Afghanistan's national interests.

Some opposition officials said closer coordination with Pakistan carries political risks, given the widespread belief among Afghans that Islamabad seeks to shape Kabul's politics to its advantage. Others argued that cooperation is worth considering if it leads to regional stability.

New Lines said that if Pakistan were to place its political weight and financial networks behind anti-Taliban factions, it could significantly alter the balance of power. Past examples, such as support provided to mujahideen groups and, later, the Taliban; demonstrate how Pakistan's backing can reshape conflict dynamics.

Analysts warn that any major shift in Pakistan's strategy could revive cycles of instability that have defined Afghanistan for decades. Regional powers, including India, Iran and China, are closely watching developments, aware that even small adjustments in Islamabad's policy can ripple across South Asia.

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