Iqbal Malhotra, who is a personal friend of the Afghan Ambassador in New Delhi, Mr. Masood Khalili, began planning in April 2001 to bring the real identity of the Northern Alliance to the notice of the world. The world believed the Taliban had overrun almost 90 percent of Afghanistan, and that they had a mind of their own. As The New Great Game shows, this was far from the truth, and the stakes for absolute physical control over Afghanistan were much greater. Right from the time of the 19th century Great Game, first identified by Rudyard Kipling in his book Kim, Afghanistan has been at the centre of great power rivalry. In the 21st century, the players, the prize and the playing field of the New Great Game have changed. The New Great Game has evolved out of the ethos, rules and parameters of the Old Great Game. Commander Ahmed Shah Masood took a personal interest in this project, and the Islamic State of Afghanistan provided the AIM Television crew with all manner of logistical assistance in making this series a success. The crew arrived in Afghanistan at dawn on August 5th by helicopter gunship from the secret Afghan airbase of Farkhar in Tajikistan. Their first port of call was Khodja Bahauddin. From there they traveled to Ay Khanom and Chah-e-aab. Because of the heat and dust, the camera equipment and satellite phone were damaged, and, on the 8th of August, they were flown back to Dushanbe. Thereafter, on the 9th of August, after repairs to the camera and satellite …

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