A car with no engine: drain of human capital and Taliban’s reality test

The discussion about the Taliban’s rule in Afghanistan since August 2021 has had many facets. The focus has justifiably been on the issues affecting democracy, human rights and the plight of the common people. Yunus Abakay here takes a long term view of the problem, pointing out that the flight of human capital – of the educated and professional segments of the population – needs attention too, as the recovery from the current problems will be severely affected by this relatively hidden factor.