Afghanistan Times
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KABUL – The recent visit of Pakistan’s intelligence chief, Lieutenant General Asim Malik, to Tajikistan has ignited a storm of speculation on social media, with rumors swirling about Islamabad’s alleged interest in Afghanistan’s Wakhan Corridor. The visit, which took place on December 30, 2024, saw Malik meeting Tajik officials, raising questions about the purpose behind the trip amid rising tensions in the region, where terrorism is once again on the rise.
The Wakhan Corridor, a narrow strip of land in Afghanistan’s Badakhshan province, connects the country to China and borders both Tajikistan and Pakistan. Historically significant as a Silk Road route and a buffer during the 19th-century ‘Great Game,’ the corridor is now largely a remote and sparsely populated region. Despite its limited geopolitical importance, its strategic position has made it a topic of interest for defense analysts and online communities.
Social media platforms have been abuzz with claims that Pakistan may be planning to annex the corridor, a narrative fueled by defense-related accounts and influencers. Some posts have linked Malik’s visit to this speculation, with others pointing to Islamabad’s strained ties with the Afghan Taliban as a potential motivation.
Experts, however, have dismissed these claims as unfounded. Adam N. Weinstein, deputy director at the Quincy Institute, attributed the rumors to Pakistan’s domestic challenges and the broader geopolitical dynamics in the region. “Wild speculation about seizing Afghan territory is not surprising,” Weinstein said, noting that similar fantasies are often propagated by both Pakistani and Afghan nationalist factions.
While the speculation has remained confined to online discourse, it underscores the heightened sensitivity in a region already grappling with instability and terrorism. There has been no official statement from Pakistan or Tajikistan addressing the rumors.
