Afghanistan Faces Deepening Humanitarian Crises as Opposition Hold Gathering in Islamabad
Afghanistan is grappling with overlapping humanitarian and political crises, as international aid shortfalls compound domestic instability and opposition groups gather abroad to challenge Taliban rule.
According to UNICEF’s latest situation report, more than half of Afghanistan’s population — including 12 million children — urgently needs humanitarian assistance, Amu TV reported. The UN’s $2.42 billion appeal for 2025 is less than one-third funded, with only 28 percent secured by August. UNICEF’s own $1.2 billion appeal is just 51 percent funded, leaving critical gaps in nutrition, health, water and sanitation, and gender services.
The country is also facing a series of emergencies. Over 2.6 million Afghans have been deported or returned this year, the majority from Iran, straining fragile host communities. A 6.0-magnitude earthquake on August 31 destroyed homes and displaced thousands, while outbreaks of acute watery diarrhea have affected more than 106,000 people, killing 50 — over half of them children under five. Nearly 63,000 children were treated for severe malnutrition in August alone, with 857,000 expected to need treatment this year.
Despite these challenges, UNICEF and partners reached more than 10 million Afghans with food, health, education, protection, and water services between January and May. In August, 341,000 children accessed education through community-based classes, and over 2.3 million children and caregivers received psychosocial support.
At the same time, Afghanistan’s political future remains in flux. For the first time since the Taliban’s return to power, a major opposition gathering was held in Islamabad, Pakistan, Shia Waves Persian reported. The event, titled the “First Regional Dialogue for Unity and Trust,” brought together about 25 Afghan political, social, and media figures, many of them long-time critics of the Taliban who have lived in exile since 2021.
Organized by the South Asia Strategic Stability Institute and Women for Afghanistan, the meeting drew sharp criticism from the Taliban, whose supporters accused Pakistan of betrayal. Afghan political parties and diaspora figures from Turkey and Europe participated, while representatives of Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry and retired General Nasser Khan Janjua were also in attendance.
The Taliban’s acting foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, denounced the meeting as evidence of “bad intentions” from Afghanistan’s neighbors. Former U.S. envoy Zalmay Khalilzad described the gathering as orchestrated by Pakistan’s intelligence services against the Taliban.
Observers say the Islamabad meeting may signal a shift in Pakistan’s approach toward the Taliban, while also providing momentum for the formation of a political opposition bloc, even as Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis deepens.
