The Fiery Battlefield of the New Cold War
The players of the Cold War have reassembled, rejuvenated after a brief interlude, and are once again gathering fuel for a new conflict—this time in Afghanistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. However, the flames of this war will not be confined to these regions; they will extend through Iran and into Balochistan. In this raging inferno of destruction and bloodshed, old traces will be erased, and new ones will emerge.
The last Cold War was waged against the Soviet Union, with China merely observing from the sidelines. In the upcoming conflict, China will be the principal adversary, while Russia assumes the role of a silent spectator. Europe and its allied nations find themselves in a state of uncertainty, particularly as U.S. President Donald Trump distanced Washington from its traditional European allies, instead favoring closer ties with Russia. Consequently, Europe and its allies may shift toward China, perceiving Russia as an expansionist and cultural-economic threat, while viewing China primarily as a competitor in trade and consumer markets. The psychological dynamics between Europe and Russia closely resemble those between India and Pakistan.
Over the past two decades, the United States invested heavily in Afghanistan’s infrastructure, institutions, and security apparatus. It withdrew under the Doha Agreement, believing—incorrectly—that the Taliban would safeguard American interests, particularly by preventing China’s access to warm waters. However, instead of blocking China, the Taliban have strengthened ties with Beijing. With the failure of Plan A, Washington has now resorted to Plan B—deploying ISIS as a strategic tool.
The Cold War is once again on the brink of turning into a hot conflict, with Afghanistan as its primary battlefield and devastating spillover effects on Pakistan’s Pashtun and Baloch regions. The United States has begun redeploying its jihadist mercenaries from the Middle East to Afghanistan. This serves a dual purpose: securing Israeli hegemony in the Arab world and transforming Afghanistan into a fiery battleground against China. The first step in this plan involves targeting Sunni Deobandi clerics and religious institutions in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Specifically, Haqqani Darul Uloom Akora Khattak—often referred to as the “Second Deoband”—has been marked as a key target. The goal is to dismantle the power of both the Afghan Taliban and Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), creating a vacuum that will be filled by ISIS, which has already established a stronghold. This ultraviolent militant group will attempt to dominate the region through sheer brutality.
Iran is also at risk of being drawn into this escalating conflict. If ISIS advances toward its borders, Tehran will be compelled to intervene militarily in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Iran is already engaged in sectarian clashes in different parts of the region. Meanwhile, India, driven by its strategic ambitions, will adopt a duplicitous stance—seeking to weaken Pakistan.
China, traditionally averse to direct military conflicts, faces two choices: either abandon Afghanistan and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in favor of alternate trade routes through Central Asia, or engage in the war through proxies. China’s interests in Afghanistan and Pakistan are twofold: global trade is crucial for its economic survival, but keeping ISIS away from Kashgar is equally vital for national security. Given these realities, China cannot afford to remain uninvolved, making the regional situation increasingly perilous with each passing day.
In Pakistan, terrorism has surged via Afghanistan, fueling deep mistrust. Various militant factions, capitalizing on Taliban infighting, weak state control, and international conspiracies, have escalated their attacks within Pakistan.
At this critical juncture, Pakistan grapples with internal challenges, including political division, economic instability, sectarian and ethnic strife, and poor governance—all of which exacerbate national vulnerabilities. The only organized institution capable of safeguarding Pakistan’s integrity is its military, which itself is facing mounting conspiracies. While the Pakistan Army and intelligence agencies enjoy widespread public support, they alone cannot guarantee stability without political unity and national consensus—both of which demand immediate and decisive action.
According to international agendas, any geopolitical transformation in the region is likely to see Pashtun territories falling under the control of religious extremists. This is because progressive, nationalist, democratic, and liberal Pashtun forces have lost global credibility, whereas religious factions appear more strategically valuable to major powers. A scenario is rapidly unfolding where extremist groups—particularly the Taliban—are incorporating elements of Pashtun nationalism into their Islamist and jihadist narratives, making them more palatable to local populations.
For those orchestrating this new Cold War, this formula ensures that the Pashtun belt remains engulfed in turmoil. The only obstacle to this grand scheme is the Pakistan Army. As a result, anti-military conspiracies are expected to intensify in the coming days, necessitating heightened vigilance and preparedness.
The views and opinions expressed in this article/paper are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of The Spine Times.
Khalid Khan
The writer is a senior journalist, and poet.
