By: Babar Khan Bozdar
The recent border skirmishes have plunged Pak-Afghan relations. It is a conspiracy to derail the diplomatic ties between two neighbors. The ill-will between two neighbors is not new but decades old. The soil of Afghanistan is always being used against Pakistan in which some soldiers and innocent civilians lost their lives. The element of fear and insecurity prevails in the minds of peoples across the border. They are habitual. Which have serious repercussions?
Eventually, Pak-Afghan relations are all weather sour, but Pakistan always supported peace, prosperity, and stability in the neighboring country. Pakistan’s efforts for improving relations have been turned, when Afghan forces attacked census team along with security personals. Pakistani troops professionally responded Afghan forces resulted in the massive loss in the form of causalities. Later on, Afghan soldiers accepted their mistake. It must be noted that Afghan forces were already informed about census activity, but they neglected it and attacked. Doesn’t it show incompetence and non-professionalism of Afghan Army? There are following possible factors which are disturbing Pak-Afghan relationship.
Afghan Leadership
The most important factor is Indian inclined Afghan leadership which is incompetent, biased and arrogant. The rhetoric of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has turned into a harsh critic of Pakistan unforgiving to the point of exceeding Indian Falcons and, apparently, undermining his own nation’s advantages. At the Heart of Asia Conference in Amritsar, where the subject was participation against security and cooperation, Mr. Ghani’s talk was forceful, practically as though Kabul fancied a burst in Pak-Afghan ties. When Afghan president, took office over two years back, he made it need to contact Pakistan through some strong verbal explanations and political means; it showed that resetting ties with Pakistan were a central part of his strategy. That initiative had gotten warmly by both political and military leadership in Pakistan, but Mr. Ghani soon became impatient with what was perceived in Afghanistan as Pakistan’s slow pace in addressing his country’s concerns. Moreover, Pakistan, too, has had genuine concerns vis-à-vis Afghanistan. The National Unity Government became increasingly hawkish towards Pakistan, as it deliberately followed pro-Indian mantra. A growing closeness with India, that the security establishment, here, saw as one of the reasons behind instability in Baluchistan.
Durand line
Durand line is another bone of contention in Pak-Afghan relations. Sir Mortimer Durand had drawn this line in 1893 between Afghanistan and then British India, which later got divided into two countries India and Pakistan in 1947. Afghanistan was considered by the British as a sovereign state at the time, although they control its foreign and diplomatic affairs. The Durand Line slices through the Pashtun tribes and further south towards the Baluchistan. It politically separates ethnic Pashtuns, and the Baloch tribes, who live on both sides of the outskirt in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Moreover, the original agreement is one page. Afghans believe that with Great Britain, the agreement was only for 100 Years after which the acquisition of land would revert to them while, formal agreement, however, makes no such reference in this regard. No evidence of this contention has ever been produced in the English version of the accord, however, and it is not clear whether the Dari and Pashto language versions of this Agreement still exist? Therefore, there is no such legal provision of Afghanistan’s claim over Durand Line.
According to Joseph V. Micallef, “The Durand Line would become one of the principal issues of Afghanistan’s foreign policy for the next century and even now remains at the heart of Pak-Afghan relations.” History is witnessed that, all critical issues have been better resolved through diplomacy, arbitration, and negotiation. Thus, frequent attacks on Pakistani troops are childish acts of the Afghan army.
Instability in Afghanistan
Since 1980s Afghanistan is on the verge of instability and war. Due to the rivalries of a different world and regional powers, peace is a distant dream in Afghanistan. The recent three decades of war has obscured the predetermination of Afghan peoples. Besides, it has also brought demolition and affected the whole regions in general and Pakistan in particular. The insecurity in Afghanistan is affecting the destiny of the lives across the border. Due to continuous wars, severe instability, and involvement of international and regional powers in Afghanistan, Pakistan’s internal security has been severely affected. Resultantly, the problematic emergence and resurgence of Taliban made Pakistan a frontline state in the war against terrorism. Furthermore, the bulk of Afghan refugees is also a significant threat to Pakistan’s security. They are haunting peace process. All the terror incident happened in Pakistan are to be claimed responsibility by Afghanistan –based terror outfits. While these refugees are also caught in subversive activities. Due to instability in Afghanistan, peace is at stake in Pakistan.
A stable, prosperous and developed Afghanistan is in the greater interests of Pakistan. To utilize Afghanistan as a door to Central Asian Republics, Pakistan needs friendly relations with her. Pakistan needs an agreeable government in Afghanistan which could promise her interests inside and outside the nations. The insecurity in Afghanistan creates numerous problems for Pakistan on socio-economic and political realms. Various crooks and fanatics come to Pakistan, which is aggravating the inside peace and stability in Pakistan.
In a nutshell, it is the need of the time that Afghanistan’s leadership should realize the sensitivity of the issue and not be used by foreign hands. Afghanistan’s Indian persuade foreign policy will serve as a zero-sum game in Pak-afghan relations. However, only the immediate engagement of Pakistan-Afghan leadership for the permanent solution of issues can serve the larger interest of the region.