Conflicts and democracies August 4, 2021 The recent game of death and destruction in Afghanistan has raised a number of questions for Pakistan, the region and the world. The clashes between Afghan forces and the Taliban have added to the woes of the hapless Afghan people. The spectre of a civil war is not only haunting the citizens of the conflict-hit state but international humanitarian organisations and various global bodies as well. The current situation has added to the plight of the country's people who have not witnessed any major respite from the conflict during the last four decades. For Pakistan the conflict has the potential of creating a crisis of refugees. The country is already hosting millions of Afghan refugees. There is a possibility that it would witness more exodus from its western borders. Millions of people from the conflict-ridden state have their relatives inside Pakistan, prompting them to take refuge in a place that they know better than other places in the hope of avoiding the horrors of the escalating conflict.