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Insights


Gender Apartheid Is Not the Culture of Afghanistan — It Is the Taliban’s Political Project to Erase Women
For nearly five years, Afghanistan has served as a laboratory for a comprehensive system designed to erase women from public life. This system no longer requires lengthy legal definitions. We all know what gender apartheid looks like. Anyone who wants to see it in practice needs to look no further than Afghanistan under Taliban rule.

Natiq Malikzada
1 day ago7 min read


Iran dragged out the 1979 hostage crisis to humiliate the US. It may try to do the same to Trump now
As the Middle East war enters its third week, there is no sign from either Iran or the United States and Israel that they will stop the fighting any time soon. It is getting more violent and nasty by the day.

Amin Saikal
Jun 124 min read


As the war drags on, what does victory look like for the US, Israel and Iran?
As the Middle East war enters its third week, there is no sign from either Iran or the United States and Israel that they will stop the fighting any time soon. It is getting more violent and nasty by the day.

Amin Saikal
Apr 195 min read


What Does Pakistan Want in Afghanistan?
Pakistan should accept that its decades of meddling in Afghanistan have not redounded to its benefit.

Mosaic Foundation Editorial
Mar 246 min read


Why Afghanistan’s Terrorism Problem Isn’t Going Away
This article by Zalmai Nishat, the Founder and Executive Chair of Mosaic Global Foundation, was originally published The National Interest on 9 February 2026. It is about the regional security implications in South and Central Asia of the Taliban's overhaul the education system in Afghanistan and symbiotic relations of them with over 20 terrorist groups.
Zalmai Nishat
Feb 94 min read


‘Dari’ and the Politics of Cultural and Civilisational Erasure in Afghanistan
This article by Zalmai Nishat, the Founder and Executive Chair of Mosaic Global Foundation, was originally published by Manara Magazine of Cambridge Middle East and North Africa (MENAF).
Zalmai Nishat
Jan 245 min read


‘Unity through diversity’: fighting for human rights in Afghanistan from Cambridge
This article is written by Daisy Stewart Henderson. She reads history in Trinity College, University of Cambridge. Among other undergraduate students of the University of Cambridge, she has been volunteering for Mosaic Global Foundation related to its annual conference at the University, Cambridge Afghanistan Series (CAS) and other projects of it.

Daisy Stewart Henderson
Jan 234 min read


Facing protests and new threats from Trump, is the Iranian regime on its last legs?
This opinion piece by Emeritus Professor Amin Saikal, a member of the advisory board of Mosaic Global Foundation and a member of its Cambridge Afghanistan Series (CAS) was originally published in The Conversation on 6 January 2026 on recent widespread protests in Iran.

Amin Saikal
Jan 74 min read


The Taliban’s Madrasa System Is Growing, with Regional and Global Implications
This article by Zalmai Nishat, the Founder and Executive Chair of Mosaic Global Foundation, was originally published The National Interest on 15 December 2025. It is about the Taliban's attempt to overhaul the education system in Afghanistan, andd it's part of “thought leadership” initiative of Empowering Through Education project by Mosaic Global Foundation.
Zalmai Nishat
Dec 15, 20255 min read


Resistance and resilience: Lessons from South Africa for Afghanistan’s fight against gender apartheid
This is the second part of an earlier article written by Farhat Ariana Azami. She is a member of New Afghanistan Democratic Forum (NAD-Forum), an inclusive, diverse and democratic civil society platform of Afghanistan, co-founded by Mosaic Global Foundation. This piece also was originally published in The Atlantic Council on 10 December 2025.

Farhat Ariana Azami
Dec 10, 20256 min read


Cambridge Reflections: Building a Roadmap, Not Roadblocks, for Afghanistan’s Future
This article by Chris Blackburn was originally published in the Narrative360about Mosaic’s Cambridge Afghanistan Series IV (CAS-IV). Chris was a panelist in the conference and also Mosaic wishes to acknowledge that his assistance was substantial in convening CAS-IV (2025) at Jesust College, University of Cambridge.
chrisblackburn25
Sep 30, 202511 min read


The Re-imagination of Governance Paradigm in Afghanistan: Cambridge Afghanistan Series, and the Composite Comprehensive Roadmap
This article by Professor Sayed Hussain Eshraq—the chair of the Working Group tasked with producing the Composite Comprehensive Roadmap (CCR), and Zalmai Nishat Founder & Executive of Chair of Mosaic Foundation—was originally published in Narrative360 on 7 September 2025.

Mosaic Foundation Editorial
Sep 7, 202513 min read


Can Afghanistan’s Democratic Opposition Reach a Common Language?
This article—written by the Mosaic Foundation team and originally published in Hashte Subh Daily on 26 August 2025—explores the strategic importance of drafting the Composite Comprehensive Roadmap (CCR). It argues that the CCR is not merely a technical document, but a political instrument designed to foster a shared language, align core demands, and enable coordination among Afghanistan’s democratic forces.

Mosaic Foundation Editorial
Aug 26, 20255 min read


In Search Of A Unified Roadmap. Will The Taliban’s Opponents Reach Consensus?
This is the second part of an earlier article written by Farhat Ariana Azami. She is a member of New Afghanistan Democratic Forum (NAD-Forum), an inclusive, diverse and democratic civil society platform of Afghanistan, co-founded by Mosaic Global Foundation. This piece also was originally published in The Atlantic Council on 10 December 2025.

Mosaic Foundation Editorial
Aug 25, 20254 min read
![On 3 July, Russia became the first country to formally recognise[i] the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan by accepting its ambassador](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d72416_818c749e46f147e9962c0d10e1b96700~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_386,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,lg_1,q_30,blur_30,enc_avif,quality_auto/d72416_818c749e46f147e9962c0d10e1b96700~mv2.webp)
![On 3 July, Russia became the first country to formally recognise[i] the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan by accepting its ambassador](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d72416_818c749e46f147e9962c0d10e1b96700~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_364,h_236,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_avif,quality_auto/d72416_818c749e46f147e9962c0d10e1b96700~mv2.webp)
Russia’s Power Play in Post-Western Afghanistan
This opinion piece by Zalmai Nishat, founder and executive chair of Mosaic Foundation and Dagikhudo Dagiev, a senior research fellow at the Institute of Ismaili Studies (IIS) in London and author of several books on Central Asia, who is also a member of board of advisors of Mosaic Global Foundation.

Mosaic Foundation Editorial
Aug 22, 20257 min read


South African women’s resistance holds lessons for the women of Afghanistan fighting gender apartheid
This article is written by Farhat Ariana Azami. She is a member of New Afghanistan Democratic Forum (NAD-Forum), an inclusive, diverse and democratic civil society platform of Afghanistan, co-founded by Mosaic Global Foundation. The piece originally was published in The Atlantic Council on 14 August 2025, marking the 4th anniversary of the Taliban return to power in Afghanistan.

Farhat Ariana Azami
Aug 15, 20256 min read


The potential ‘roadmaps’ for return to constitutional government in Afghanistan
This is an assessment of roadmaps of six political currents of Afghanistan, opposing the Taliban.

David Loyn
Aug 15, 202525 min read


Afghanistan under the Taliban: Four years on
This opinion piece by Emeritus Professor Amin Saikal, a member of the advisory board of Mosaic Global Foundation and a member of its Cambridge Afghanistan Series (CAS) was originally published in The News Australia on 15 August 2025, the anniversary of the Taliban re-usurping power in Afghanistan.

Amin Saikal
Aug 15, 20255 min read


Narrativa360’s Interview of with Zalmai Nishat – Ten Questions with Zalmai Nishat (Part 2)
This interview with Zalmai Nishat, the Founder and Executive Chair of Mosaic Global Foundation was originally published in The Narrative 360 on 4 July 2025. This is the second part of ’10 Questions for’ with Zalmai Nishat
Zalmai Nishat
Jul 4, 20255 min read


Netanyahu’s miscalculation of Iran will echo for years
This opinion piece by Emeritus Professor Amin Saikal—an advisory board member of the Mosaic Global Foundation and participant in its Cambridge Afghanistan Series (CAS)—was originally published in The Age on 1 July 2025

Amin Saikal
Jul 1, 20253 min read


Narrativa360’s Interview of with Zalmai Nishat – Ten Questions with Zalmai Nishat (Part 1)
This interview with Zalmai Nishat, the Founder and Executive Chair of Mosaic Global Foundation was originally published in The Narrative 360 on 4 July 2025. This is the second part of ’10 Questions for’ with Zalmai Nishat
Zalmai Nishat
Jun 26, 202510 min read
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