The rise of the Taliban to the government in Afghanistan: assessment of internal and external factors

Sumama Madni; Rizwan Ali; Mahwish Bakht

doi:10.47264/idea.lassij/8.2.8

Authors

Sumama Madni Department of Governance and Public Policy, National University of Modern Languages, Islamabad, Pakistan. https://orcid.org/0009-0005-4377-2099
Rizwan Ali Department of Governance and Public Policy, National University of Modern Languages, Islamabad, Pakistan | Department of Public Policy, University of Bradford, Bradford, United Kingdom. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4624-2390
Mahwish Bakht Department of Area Studies, National University of Modern Languages, Islamabad, Pakistan. https://orcid.org/0009-0007-9951-0797

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47264/idea.lassij/8.2.8

Keywords:

Taliban government, Taliban governance, Taliban’s administration, Taliban’s policies, Afghan society, Women rights, Regional security, Bilateral relations

Abstract

The arrival of the Taliban in August 2021 has significantly affected Afghanistan’s governance, particularly in terms of service delivery for the betterment of the community at large and engaging stakeholders from different institutions in the decision-making process. This paper aims to analyse the governance of the Taliban, their role and policies towards internal and external factors, including regional relations and bilateral trade with China and Central Asia, geo-strategic significance, the role of public administration and women's rights in Afghanistan. Data was collected from 27 people, including government officials and common people. Snowball and purposive sampling techniques are used for research. The framework for the study is Braun and Clarke, which is for thematic analysis in six phases. Major themes from the survey highlighted that the Taliban’s goal is to establish peace and smooth administrative running of its institutions. The key stakeholders, including academics, policymakers, and individuals interested in Afghan governance and international relations, play a crucial role in the issue of Afghanistan as a country and society. They have realised that the internal ethnic strife and external forces are considerable factors contributing to the destruction of Afghan society. These stakeholders are actively working for peace and stability in the country.

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