Afghanistan once again stands at a crossroads where, despite a change in power, stability has become a dream. After gaining control of Kabul the Taliban government tried to create the impression that a new and peaceful era had begun in Afghanistan after two decades of war but the ground realities do not support this claim. Growing armed resistance in different parts of the country unrest among former Afghan security personnel, political isolation, economic difficulties and restrictions on public freedoms indicate that while gaining power may have been relatively easy for the Taliban running the state has proved far more difficult.

The first responsibility of any government is to provide protection to its citizens. If the activities of armed groups opposing the government are increasing in different parts of a state new groups are emerging and former security personnel are also becoming part of the resistance movement then this is not merely a law and order issue but a sign of weak governance. In recent years, instead of transforming its military strength into state power the Taliban government has largely maintained its traditional structure of authority as a result of which the process of broader national reconciliation in Afghanistan has failed to move forward.

The Taliban’s policy regarding education and women’s rights has also become a source of severe criticism at the........

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