Afghanistan-Pakistan relations have hit a new low with real possibilities of an open war between the latter and its one-time protégé, the Afghan Taliban . All punts are on yet another round of Doha talks, this time between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban, mediated by the likes of Qatar, Turkey and Saudi Arabia. Is a repeat of the February 29, 2020 “Agreement for Bringing Peace to Afghanistan”, which ended the 19-year US war in Afghanistan, possible between Islamabad and Kabul? What lessons does history offer in how to deal with the Afghan Taliban?

Punting on a heterogeneous entity like the Afghan Taliban, with its varied tribal, regional, sectarian and ideological affiliations, can be frustrating. There are intra-group rivalries amongst factions like the Quetta Shura, Peshawar Shura, th

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