Kabul urged to realise new realities

Drawing the Afghan government’s attention towards new realities, Pakistan’s defence establishment has asserted that the Kabul administration is unjustified in saying that the Durand Line Treaty was a forced treaty.

Sources within the defence establishment, while talking to The News, have reaffirmed that Durand Line is an internationally established border, but every now and then, Afghanistan government has been trying to create ambiguity and fuss regarding the issue because of the fact that all the governments in Afghanistan have remained desirous of getting access to the Arabian Sea through Balochistan. 

According the sources, “Some of the objections that emanate from the Afghan side on the question of the validity of the Durand Line are: firstly, that the agreement was forced upon the Afghan King, Abdul Rahman Khan, after negotiations with the British government in 1893;secondly, it was signed only for a period of 100 years and hence it expired in 1994 and thirdly, that the agreement was made with the British Government and not with Pakistan, and so in essence, it could be regarded as invalid.

In response, Pakistan’s stand on the Durand Line has been that it is a valid international boundary, recognized and confirmed by Afghanistan on several occasions. Pakistan has always upheld the norms of international law and has maintained the position of a successor state to the rights and duties inherited from the British Government in India. Pakistan, as a successor state to British India derives full sovereignty over areas and its people east of Durand Line and has all the rights and obligations of a successor state. As the Treaty was inked in Afghanistan and was further ratified in subsequent pacts of 1905, 1919, and 1921, this negates the Afghanassertion that it was a forced treaty. At the same time, nowhere in the treaty, there is mention of 100 years’ timeline”.

The sources were asked a question about the oft-discussed Pakhtun ethnicity and affinity. The reply was, “Today’s world is quite different. Those raising voice against the Durand Line or in favour of Pakhtun ethnicity need to realize the new realities. The reality is that there are more Pakhtuns living on this side (i.e in Pakistan) of the Durand Line than in Afghanistan. Even the referendum of 1947 and the decision of tribal Jirga of FATA are the strongest and undeniable facts to judge the affinity of Pakhtuns with Pakistan. Besides that, today’s Pakhtuns from KP, Baluchistan and FATA have a strong participation in all national and federal institutions including armed forces, sports, education, politics and all other walks of life and stand with Pakistan. And, moreover, these tribal people have rendered huge sacrifices in war against terror and the whole nation respects their sacrifices”.