current affairs MCQ #8327

The Taliban government in Afghanistan requests observer status in the SCO. Pakistan supports the request while India and Russia oppose it. China remains neutral. What does Pakistan's support for Taliban observer status primarily reflect?

current affairs MCQ #8327

  1. Question 1

    Q1. The Taliban government in Afghanistan requests observer status in the SCO. Pakistan supports the request while India and Russia oppose it. China remains neutral. What does Pakistan's support for Taliban observer status primarily reflect?

    • A) Pakistan's desire to convert Afghanistan into a buffer state against Iranian influence
    • B) Pakistan's strategic interest in stabilising Afghanistan through institutional engagement to prevent spillover of militancy and to open overland trade routes to Central Asia
    • C) Pakistan's preference for replacing SAARC with an SCO-led South Asian framework
    • D) Pakistan's attempt to balance its relationship with the Taliban against US pressure

    Answer: Pakistan's strategic interest in stabilising Afghanistan through institutional engagement to prevent spillover of militancy and to open overland trade routes to Central Asia

    Explanation: Pakistan's strategic calculus on Afghan Taliban engagement is driven by its interest in preventing militant spillover, normalising border trade, and opening overland access to Central Asian markets via Afghanistan.