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While the present dispensation in Kabul can be regarded as relatively more stable than the regimes in recent pre-2001 period, a number of challenges — security, political and socio-economic — continue to persist. The Afghan National Army and other law enforcing agencies find it hard to fend off the continuously increasing and assertive strength of resistance forces. Talks between the representatives of Kabul government and the resistance forces have been reinitiated in Qatar but the outcome and future course remains too little to talk about. Their contacts can only be regarded as ‘talks about talks’ for complete withdrawal of foreign troops and the positions on Constitution among the major issues on the road to a possible yet hard-to-achieve negotiated settlement. Economy and quality of life are far from satisfactory and are actually in danger of further deterioration. If a negotiated and peaceful settlement is desired, then both the sides will have to soften their stances to an extent. The role of regional countries as well as the UN — not really in the lead so far — will assume a critical significance. This is a revised and updated version of the paper presented in international symposium on “The Situation in Afghanistan after NATO's Withdrawal”, held in Istanbul under the auspices of South Asia Strategic Research Center on May 5–7, 2015.