Md Muddassir Quamar replies: The Taliban is a religious fundamentalist organisation with ideological roots in radical Islamism, jihadism and ethnic nationalism. The movement was nurtured in Islamic seminaries across Pakistan and came into prominence during the Afghan civil war following the Soviet withdrawal in 1989. The Taliban, with support from Pakistani agencies, subsequently gained control of most of Afghanistan including Kabul and declared the formation of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.

Adil Rasheed replies: Although the US has recently become the largest oil and natural gas producing country in the world, the OPEC states still produce about 40 per cent of the world’s crude oil with Middle East (or West Asian) states producing about a third of the global output. The global oil market is seamless and any disruption in supplies by one supplier impacts global oil prices simultaneously. As the adage goes, “We all sip from the same cup”.

Prasanta Kumar Pradhan replies: Houthis are an armed rebel group belonging to the Zaidi Shia sect fighting against the government of Yemen. Traditionally, the Houthis have been concentrated in the northwestern Saada Province of Yemen. In 2015, they captured capital Sanaa, thereby forcing President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi to flee to Saudi Arabia. Upon the request of President Hadi, a military coalition led by Saudi Arabia was formed to intervene in Yemen.