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Dr. Amina Khan


Director of the Centre for Afghanistan, Middle East & Africa (CAMEA)

Dr. Amina Khan is the Director of the Centre for Afghanistan, Middle East & Africa (CAMEA) at the Institute of Strategic Studies (ISSI), Islamabad, where she oversees the Centre’s research, policy engagement, and advocacy on Afghanistan, the Middle East, Africa, terrorism, and regional strategic affairs. Prior to assuming this role, she served as a Research Fellow and subsequently as a Senior Research Fellow at ISSI, specializing in Afghanistan, the Middle East, and terrorism.

With over two decades of research and policy experience, Dr. Khan has published extensively and has presented her research at numerous national and international forums. She is also the author of five edited books: The COVID Challenge and its Impact on the Middle East and Africa (2021), The Evolving Situation in Afghanistan: International and Regional Perspectives (2022), Pakistan’s Strategic Frontiers (2023), The Return of the Taliban: International and Regional Perspectives(2024) and an upcoming book, Shifting Alliances: Connectivity and Trade in an Evolving Regional Landscape ( October 2026), Transnational Terrorism: From Afghanistan to Africa (2025) and an upcoming book, titled ‘Shifting Alliances : Security, Connectivity and Trade in an Evolving Regional Landscape ‘ to be published in 2026 .

Dr. Khan is a recipient of the prestigious OSI/FCO Chevening Scholarship (2009–2010). She holds an MSc in Democracy, Politics and Governance from Royal Holloway, University of London, and an MSc in Defence and Strategic Studies from Quaid-i-Azam University. She was a Visiting Fellow at German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP) in 2011.

Dr. Khan earned her PhD in Defence and Strategic Studies from Quaid-i-Azam University.

Mail aminakhan@issi.org.pk

Issue Brief on “The New Middle East: Power Shifts, Regional Autonomy, and Evolving Security...

The Middle East is undergoing one of the most significant strategic transformations in decades. While many of these changes initially unfolded gradually and almost...

Issue Brief on “Recalibrating Pakistan–Afghanistan Engagement”

Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have once again entered a dangerous and volatile phase, with cross-border hostilities intensifying sharply, marking one of the most...

Issue Brief on “Pakistan and Afghanistan Reaffirm Commitment to Strengthening Bilateral Ties”

Pakistan and Afghanistan have reaffirmed their resolve to deepen bilateral relations through enhanced cooperation in key sectors including security, trade, transit, and regional connectivity....

Issue Brief on “Pakistan-Afghanistan: Resetting Ties”

On 23 March 2025, Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Ambassador Muhammad Sadiq, embarked on a three-day visit to Kabul, aimed at de-escalating tensions and...

Issue Brief on “Interim Afghan Government Three Years On: An assessment”

August 15, 2024, marked three years since the ‘Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’ (IEA) assumed power as the de facto, though not de jure, political...

Issue Brief on “Interim Afghan Government in Power – Two Years On”

August 15, 2023, marked two years since the Taliban dispensation reassumed power in Afghanistan. Initially, there was lack of clarity regarding the Taliban's return...

Issue Brief on “Taliban in Power – A Year on”

On August 15, 2021, the world looked on with trepidation as the situation in Afghanistan reached a critical juncture with the Afghan Taliban assuming...

Issue Brief on “Elusive Peace: One year of the US-Taliban Peace Agreement”

The end of February 2021 marked one year of the US-Taliban peace agreement signed in February 2020 in Doha. This was the most recent major attempt...

Issue Brief “Imran Khan’s Visit to Kabul: An Assessment”

On November 19, 2020 Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan paid a long-awaited day-long visit to Afghanistan. The intent of the visit was to deepen...

Islamabad paper on “Afghan Peace Process: Future Prospects”

Abstract Since 2001, Afghan history has been beset by half-hearted attempts at achieving a peace agreement between the Afghan Taliban and Kabul. The year 2018...