Re: Respect for Durand Line: A must for peace in Afghanistan
That has to be one of the most historically baseless posts ever. Afghanistan ahs been the home to many civilizations: Bactria, Arachosia, etc. Lets not forget the birthplace of the zoroastrian prophet, Zarthust, was in Balkh. The tajiks of today were the decendents of the Samanid dynasty, and if it wasn't for them the persians would have been speaking arabic by now. The samanids had a huge hadn in reviing persian culture. Sure teh subcontinent is a rich cultural place no doubt, but Afghanistan is no second place, even today many archaelogists have found ancient bactrian coins, coins during the times of sakas, etc. Afghanistan was kept politically as one area during the time of Ahmad Shah Baba, and yes for most of its time the people have enjoyed a certain amount of independence. PLus Peshawar prior to the unholy durand treaty was the winter capital of Afghanistan. The former king of Afghanistan Dost Muhammad Khan considered Peshawar an integral part of Afghan territory, in fact he considered Afghan land incomplete with its gateway Peshawar. I don't recall Abbassid ever taking control of Afghanistan, and Safavids had little control over Afghanistan, in fatc it was an Afghan(pashtun), Mirwais Hotkai Baba, who overthrew the Safavid empire.