Since the Afghan Taliban's reconquered Kabul, they have been facing immense trouble regarding the peace and stability situation as well as the economic downfall. The threats imposed by other armed groups like ISKP, ALF, Al-Qaida and NRF have created a loophole for IEA to gain complete control across the country on grass root level. Taliban's grip over the security situation is not proving out be that much strong as it was being expected after they gained control over Kabul. Not only the peace situation but the rival groups specially ISKP is a great threat for IEA to find economic stability and better international relations. The recent attacks by ISKP on Pakistani Consulate, Russian embassy and Chinese hotels are the biggest examples and triggering events that has impeded and prolonged the impediment towards International recognition for Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. The specifically common nature of these attacks i.e all 3 of them against countries with a softer corner for Afghan Taliban's, are clear indications that ISKP not only wants to ruin the already ruined image of Afghan Taliban in front of NATO and its allies but also in front of the friendly countries (who supported Taliban regime against NATO and America). Moreover, these three countries were initially (after Taliban’s takeover) anticipating that this time the Afghan Taliban would adopt a policy different than that applied in Taliban’s first rule. They were hoping that this time the Taliban's would come up with a more modernly developed approach of governance focusing on economic stability and good international relations more although aligning that with its Islamic ideology but being lesser radical. But the approach of the current Taliban regime has in most recent times appeared out to be ridiculously extremist and insane and that too with in fact contradicting with the Islamic Laws and Ideology. And the analysis of the situation suggests that one of the reasons that Afghan Taliban are acting more radically is ISKP. As major part of the public support to Taliban comes from the conservative Afghanis. Same is the case with ISKP as both groups have a religious ideology. So, in that manner both groups are in competition with each other to gain that support. And both groups are in a continuous clash. Most recently today (26/12/2022) Molvi Abdul-Haq Omar, the provincial police chief of Badakhshan province, has been killed by ISKP in an explosion near the police headquarters in the provincial capital of Faizabad, Badakhshan. The explosion reportedly targeted his vehicle. Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) officially claimed this attack.

The group also stated that its militants were monitoring the movements of Molvi Abdul-Haq Omar. That is why Haibatullah Akhundzada is adopting more extremist ways of governance to continue gain that mass support and stay powerful comparative to ISKP and other local groups.  For instance, Taliban recently imposed some very strict regulations targeting women in Afghanistan. According to the most verbal directive of the Afghanistan’s Minister of Higher Education, all female professors and administrative employees of the Kabul University are not allowed to enter the University compound, starting from 24th December 2022, and their entry is strictly prohibited. Plus, they also ordered all local and foreign non-governmental organizations (NGO) to stop female employees from coming to work, according to an economy ministry letter, in the latest crackdown on women's freedoms. The new regulations were not just criticized by everyone around the world but almost all Afghans including some prominent Taliban were critical of these regulations. Though the Taliban had imposed such strict regulations in the past during their 1990’s rule, but during the past decade, we did get public assurances from the Taliban that they were not against women’s education & that they will allow women in workplaces as long as hijab and segregation was applied (within Sharia framework). Now suddenly, after a year of governing Afghanistan, the Taliban has re-imposed their strict directives against the women of Afghanistan. Some worry that we may see more strict regulations. With the difference of opinion over women’s education, this would the second time we hear about a public discord in Taliban leadership over an issue. The previous discord would be about negotiating the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan. When the Taliban decided to engage in talks with the U.S. about negotiations in the 2010‘s, the discord between the hardline Taliban and the pragmatic Taliban became apparent. The hardliners didn’t trust the US intentions. They didn’t see negotiations as necessary, they challenged the perception that the movement was tired of fighting. On the contrary, they felt that an outright victory was within reach. With the absence of Mullah Omer, the pragmatic Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansoor was able gain support within the movement to engage in talks with the US, aspiring to achieve a negotiated settlement. On the 29th February 2020, the Taliban & the US signed the not so perfect doha-agreement in Qatar. The agreement paved the way for the withdrawal of the U.S. forces from Afghanistan. On August 15th 2021, the Taliban forces marched through Kabul in their blitzkrieg, stunning everyone, including the Taliban leadership. Taliban Supreme leader Hebatullah Akhunzada was quick to consolidate his power, one of the first things he did was dissolve the leadership council (Rah’hari Shura) and remove his deputies from their positions. He seems inclined on ruling Afghanistan the way Mullah Omer the founder of Taliban ruled. Living reclusively in Kandahar and imposing the same type of sharia that Mullah Omer implemented. It seems somehow, the (pragmatic) Taliban were able to secure a delay in these strict edicts, because they knew some of these edicts will be intensely opposed by the world, making it difficult to achieve any good relation with international community. Akhunzada did give the pragmatic Taliban some time to achieve normalisation with the international community, specially the western world. Those pragmatics failed to achieve any breakthrough, but came back with zero recognition, frozen assets & reinstatement of travel ban. Hebatullah Akhunzada seem very skeptical, when it comes to relationship with the world. He believes (as he told an audience at the Ulema Conference in Kabul in mid 2022) that the world will not accept them because the world opposes ‘sharia’ law & warned of unpleasant reactions once he starts implementing ‘Hudood & Qisas & other Islamic regulations’. So far, Taliban leadership is hesitant to call girls educational institutions impermissible (haram) in Islam. This leaves room open for a change in course in the future. That is only achievable if the pragmatic Taliban are able to convince Sheikh Hebatullah in changing course, after all, it is him who makes decisions. For now, this is a rough ride for the Taliban, the International community and specially the people of Afghanistan. Moreover, there are reports from sources that the differences between the Afghan Talibans of Kandahar and Afghan Taliban of Helmand provinces have reached a peak. In recent audio messages of their leadership, they have spoken up about their conflicts and differences.  These splits between the Afghan Taliban prove that now their command is not one as it was before, they are divided into groups, directions and tribal structures.