Durand Line

The Durand Line, the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan, has a complex history rooted in 19th-century geopolitical games. Despite controversies, the 1893 Durand Line Agreement was accepted by Afghanistan in 1919. However, Afghanistan questioned its legality by citing coercion and withdrawing from the 1949 agreements, while Pakistan claimed legitimacy of Durand Line through subsequent treaties. The Post-2001 relations between the two neighbours have seen tensions in the form of refugee influx and border fencing. Resolving this issue requires political reconciliation from both sides, fostering economic ties, addressing the Pashtun concerns, and controlling cross-border issues for regional stability.

The Durand Line marks the official boundary between Afghanistan and Pakistan, which passes through an area long inhabited by the Pashtuns. The First Anglo-Afghan War (1839) saw the British defeated, but after the Second Anglo-Afghan War (1878 - 80), Abdur Rahman Khan became Afghanistan's Emir through British influence. The Treaty of Gandamak (1880) resulted in Afghanistan ceding frontier lands to the British. In 1893, the Durand Line Agreement was signed, creating the North Western Frontier Province (NWFP).

But the Third Anglo-Afghan War erupted in 1919 which concluded with the Treaty of Rawalpindi, in which Afghanistan formally acknowledged the Durand Line as the international border between Afghanistan and British India. Critics have labeled it as a "line of hatred," marked by arbitrariness, illogicality, cruelty, and deceit imposed upon the Pashtuns. Certain historians speculate that it was a deliberate strategy to sow division among the Pashtuns using Divide & Rule Policy which facilitated British control over them.

The Durand Line originates from the 19th-century 'Great Game', a geopolitical rivalry between the Russian and British empires, during which Afghanistan served as a buffer against perceived Russian expansionism to the east by the British. This demarcation was established to delineate their spheres of influence and enhance diplomatic relations between the British authorities in India and the Afghan Kingdom. It strategically placed the Khyber Pass on the British side and was acknowledged as the Indo-Afghan border at that time. Present-day Afghanistan doesn't acknowledge the Durand Line, but internationally, it is recognized as the western border of Pakistan.

• The Durand Line, Afghanistan-Pakistan's international border, was established in 1893 by British civil servant Sir Henry Mortimer Durand and Afghan Emir Abdur Rahman Khan.
• The line spans across 2670 km extending from China's border to Afghanistan's border with Iran.
• It is situated south of the Hindu Kush with its eastern end bordering China in the Karakoram range. Peaks like Noshaq along the border, are among the world's highest.
• The Anglo-Afghan Treaty of 1919 brought slight modifications to the line, which were intended to last for 100 years, but in 1999, this treaty was not renewed.
• The line intersects the Pashtun homelands, dividing ethnic Pashtuns and Balochs residing on both sides of the border.
• The Pakistani section includes the NWFP, renamed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 2010.

• The current Afghan administration does not acknowledge the Durand Line.
• Afghanistan asserts its territorial rights extending 60% into Pakistan, which challenges the legitimacy of the boundary.
• Post-independence, Afghanistan contested the Durand Line Agreement by seeking self-determination for Pashtuns in Pakistan, a demand which was denied by Pakistan and Britain.
• Pakistan claims inheritance of the border as a successor state of British India which is a major point of contention for Afghanistan.
• Despite the 100-year timeframe stated in the Durand Line Agreement, Pakistan rejects Afghanistan's claim that the agreement became null in 1999.
• India also has a minor claim to the Durand line border, particularly in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, approximately 105 km of the eastern section.
• While internationally recognized, the current Afghan leadership rejects the Durand Line as it views the line as Colonial British imposition.
• The Taliban's takeover led to a significant influx of Afghan refugees into Pakistan along the Durand Line. Pakistan responded by installing border fencing, repeatedly targeted by the Taliban, making it one of the most perilous borders in modern times.

• Afghanistan invoked Article 51 and 52 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (VCLT) of 1969, asserting that the agreement was signed under duress by the Amir and hence lacks legality. Afghanistan argues that it unilaterally withdrew from all agreements made with British Indian authorities in 1949 and has objected to Pakistan's status as the successor state.
• Pakistan justifies its claim by pointing to four subsequent agreements signed in 1905, 1919, 1921, and 1930.

• Radcliffe Line: The western side of the Radcliffe Line serves as the Indo-Pakistani border, while the eastern side serves as the India-Bangladesh border.
• McMohan Line: It is a demarcation that separates Tibet(China) and north-east India. China does not recognise the Mcmohan line as its border.

To resolve the Durand Line issue, Afghanistan and Pakistan need a broader political reconciliation. This involves avoiding debates on sovereignty, promoting economic collaboration across borders, addressing Pashtun aspirations on both sides, and stopping support for cross-border terrorism. A comprehensive approach, including diplomatic, economic, and cultural cooperation, is crucial for long-term stability in the region.