The issue of Durand Line is not discussed much in Pakistan. But it is very rife in the minds of Afghans. One of the first questions asked during the current presidential debate in Afghanistan was about their views on Durand Line and their planned actions regarding it.
See this blog entry: The Elections in Afghanistan and The Fear of Durand | Latvian Institute of International Affairs
On the fourth of March, top presidential candidates Abdullah Abdullah, Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai and Zalmai Rasul showed up on a TV channel called TOLO for a debate on foreign policy. Obviously the first address was in regards to the controversial issue of Durand Line. Every one of the attending candidates was inquired as to whether they recognized the Durand Agreement/Durand Line, in other words “de facto” Af-Pak borders. The second part of the question was to ask for their policy propositions with respect to the Durand Line assuming that they get elected.
Afghanistan was the only country in the world which opposed admission of Pakistan in the UN. Even Taliban movement, created and nurtured by Pakistan, never recognized the Durand Line.
Based on this it appears that Afghanistan will create a lot more trouble than it has been able to do until today, IF Afghanistan becomes a stable, prosperous country. Using the same old cliche, it is not a question of ‘if’ but ‘when’.
Pakistan may get sandwiched between Afghanistan and India. The two will join hands to foment trouble in Balochistan as well. In fact, it might already be happening.
It would become even bigger trouble if a significant population of KPK decide to join Afghanistan.
If future Afghan governments continue to not recognize the border then I think it is important to see what non-Pashtun population of Afghanistan think about Durand Line issue. Because if this border disappears then it will give boost to strength and influence of Pashtuns in Afghanistan at the expense of other ethnicity. Therefore they may not be willing to let this border disappear.
While today non-Pashtun population of Afghanistan is highly critical of Pakistan, but it is quite possible that tomorrow we might find them becoming our ally.
Re: Dilemma is that a stable Afghanistan spells trouble for Pakistan
Durrand line issue is there but after 65 years of independence and so much bloodshed across the line I think there's a growing consensus that good working relationship is needed between the two countries. Destabilization of any country has repurcussions for the other.
Re: Dilemma is that a stable Afghanistan spells trouble for Pakistan
^ If Zia destabilized Afghanistan for THIS reason then it proves thathe was one big ahole**. That his 24/7 rants about Islam was a sham. That he was a hypocrite.
This is no excuse to destroy a country as Zia and his ISI did to Afghanistan.
Ali Syed, I think many Afghans also think that there is no point raising this issue now. It is old. And borders are accepted everywhere in the world. They know that nobody is going to listen to them.
I have this concern only because this was one of the issues in the current presidential debate. It means that some of them still have not gotten the lesson. But I hope they are a minority. I hope we can have a positive mutually beneficial relationship with a stable Afghanistan.
We have afghani relatives. And they dont recognize durand line as well. They clearly say it is Afghanistan. In otha words kpk is afghanistan. Makes me really annoyed but i think many Afghanis do realize that there is no point of arguing about durand line...specially after Americans leave afganistan. Pakistan is much stronger and relatively stronger than Afghanistan.
Re: Dilemma is that a stable Afghanistan spells trouble for Pakistan
I don't believe that minorities want more Pashtuns in Afghanistan, especially the Pakistani areas that would be more powerful due to their better economic output compared to the rather useless south and east of Afghanistan. In fact, during the height of Daud's brain farts over pashtunistan, it was massood's, rabbanis and dostums etc who ran to Pakistan in Bhutto's time to start a resistance against the afghan kingdom.
If Afghanistan thinks that it can play with fire, riding high on US-NATO protection and aid money, it would finally allow for that northern-alliance Pakistan rapprochement and I am sure that there are warlords / Taliban that could play in the south and the east. Pakistan has been holding back on such provocations due to the American factor but all would be game in the future. Good luck to playing with fire.
Oh yeah, deport all the ungrateful afghans back to Afghanistan.
Re: Dilemma is that a stable Afghanistan spells trouble for Pakistan
^ If Zia destabilized Afghanistan for THIS reason then it proves thathe was one big ahole**. That his 24/7 rants about Islam was a sham. That he was a hypocrite.
This is no excuse to destroy a country as Zia and his ISI did to Afghanistan.
Ali Syed, I think many Afghans also think that there is no point raising this issue now. It is old. And borders are accepted everywhere in the world. They know that nobody is going to listen to them.
I have this concern only because this was one of the issues in the current presidential debate. It means that some of them still have not gotten the lesson. But I hope they are a minority. I hope we can have a positive mutually beneficial relationship with a stable Afghanistan.
You mean the US did. After all it was all a CIA plan.
Re: Dilemma is that a stable Afghanistan spells trouble for Pakistan
Can someone enlighten me how and when Pakistan destabilized Afghanistan? When Pakistan sent taliban into Afghanistan, was it a very stable country? Or was it stable and content under USSR?
