Crisis at the Crossroads: Global Powers Urged to Intervene in Pakistan–Afghanistan Standoff

An FT View editorial argues Pakistan and Afghanistan are on the brink of all-out conflict after cross-border strikes and a deadly Kabul hospital attack, with thousands displaced and regional stability at stake. It warns that Western disengagement risks broader chaos and terrorism, and urges renewed engagement and face-to-face talks, potentially brokered by the US and China. It also suggests Pakistan’s bombing alone won’t quell insurgencies and that the Taliban must be pressured with a mix of sticks and carrots, while China could play a pivotal mediating role to shape a broader regional settlement.