The Durand Line and Its Harms

The Durand Line is one of the biggest disputed issues in the world. Unfortunately, because of it, millions of Afghans have been killed, millions injured, millions disabled, and millions forced to leave their homes.

The Durand Line is about 2,640 kilometers long between Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Durand Line has harmed the future of more than 200 million Afghans because this dividing line has passed through the heart of a great nation, the Afghan people, for more than 100 years and has separated millions of Afghans from each other. One hundred years ago, the country called Pakistan did not exist on the world map. In the past, the territory of Pakistan was part of Afghanistan.

In the 19th century, Britain greatly expanded its influence in India. Afghanistan was important to Britain because it was concerned about Russia’s expansion in Central Asia and its possible influence toward India. For this reason, Afghanistan became an important part of the competition between Britain and Russia, known as the “Great Game.”

Britain attacked Afghanistan three times, and millions of Afghans were killed in these three major wars, causing heavy losses to the Afghan people.

Britain tried to take full control of Afghanistan. When Afghans resisted, Britain took half of the land that is now Pakistan, where Afghans lived, from Afghanistan under a temporary agreement. The Durand Agreement was then signed in 1893.

According to Afghan historians, the agreement between Britain and Afghanistan was signed for only 100 years. According to them, after 100 years the Durand Line should have ended, and half of Pakistan, including Peshawar, Waziristan, and Quetta up to Attock, is Afghan land and should be returned to Afghanistan.

Fifty-four years after the Durand Agreement was signed, in 1947, Britain created Pakistan on the land of Afghanistan and India. According to Afghan historians, the creation of Pakistan by Britain divided more than 200 million Afghans into several parts and created separation among Afghans. Historians believe that this was the beginning of the suffering of the Afghan people.

According to Afghan historians, intellectuals, and writers, when Pakistan was created, the policies of Pakistan and Britain were to crush the Afghans and destroy everything they had. They say that if Afghans became strong and lived in good conditions, they would take their land back from Pakistan, and Pakistan would no longer exist.

According to Afghan historians, after Pakistan was created, Pakistani military and intelligence agencies have always wanted civil wars in Afghanistan, weakened and overthrown governments, and spent large amounts of money to prevent education. They have also spent large amounts of money to prevent education. Pakistan has destroyed Afghanistan’s public facilities, roads, clinics, schools, and everything else at different times.

The writings of Afghan historians, historical documents, statements by Pakistani officials, and statements by Afghan officials show that, according to these sources, Pakistani intelligence agencies have caused several civil wars in Afghanistan over the past seven decades because of the Durand Line. They have made Afghanistan insecure and caused the deaths, disabilities, and displacement of millions of Afghans.

Different Afghan presidents have said in their statements that the Pakistani government has always asked Afghanistan to sign a permanent agreement on the Durand Line. However, Afghan presidents did not accept this request and said that the Durand territory is part of Afghanistan and that only the people can decide about this issue.

Afghan presidents and other senior officials have said that Pakistan has always wanted war in Afghanistan and has overthrown governments in order to establish a government that supports Pakistan and obtain an agreement on the Durand Line. However, Pakistan has not succeeded in this effort during the past seven decades.

Pakistani officials have also, at different times, confirmed that they supported civil wars and terrorist groups in Afghanistan, gave shelter and weapons to terrorist groups in Pakistan, and that attacks were carried out in Afghanistan from Pakistani territory, killing millions of Afghans.

Afghans say that if the Durand Line issue did not exist between Afghanistan and Pakistan, such large wars, deaths, and interference would not have happened.

According to Afghans, the biggest and most important cause of the destruction and suffering of Afghanistan and the Afghan people is the Durand Line. They say that because of this land and line, more than 200 million Afghans have not seen a good life, and Afghans are the main victims of this land and line.

Effects of the Durand Line

Millions of Afghans live on both sides of the Durand Line. They share the same nation, language, culture, religion, traditions, and many other things. However, the Pakistani government does not allow Afghans on both sides to visit each other without visas. Some families are divided, with part of the family living in Afghanistan and the other part in Pakistan.

Millions of Afghans on both sides of the Durand Line have been deprived of schools. They do not have roads, clinics, or electricity and have been deliberately deprived of basic facilities and needs of life. Every day, innocent people on both sides of the line are killing or disappear.

Solution

Based on historical facts and the situation of the people living on both sides of the line, the Afghan International Human Rights Organization clearly maintains its position that the Durand Line should be returned to the Afghans. The Organization believes that the shared historical, national, cultural, and social background of the people of this region, as well as their long-standing problems, should be seriously considered in any process to solve this issue.

The Organization believes that direct talks, negotiations, and peaceful methods should be given priority instead of war and violence to solve the Durand Line issue. Historical documents, historical accounts, legal principles, the rights of the people of the region, and existing realities should be seriously examined in the process of solving this issue.

A peaceful solution to this issue can help end the long-standing dispute between Afghanistan and Pakistan, protect the rights of the people, and create a lasting basis for peace and stability in the region and the world. It can also give millions of deprived people the opportunity to live a normal life again.

Proposal for Negotiations

The Afghan International Human Rights Organization declares its full readiness for a peaceful and lasting solution to the Durand Line issue. The Organization’s delegation is ready to host direct talks and negotiations between the relevant parties to address this important issue and to play its role in creating a suitable negotiation process.

The Organization calls on Afghanistan, Pakistan, the countries of the region and the world, and the United Nations to help create the conditions for direct and serious negotiations to begin to solve this historical issue.

The Organization believes that any solution to this issue should be pursued through dialogue and peaceful means, based on historical documents, historical accounts, legal principles, the rights of the people of the region, and existing realities. Starting negotiations can help create a peaceful solution to this long-standing dispute and a lasting basis for peace and stability in the region and the world.

If negotiations do not take place and the Durand Line is not returned to the Afghans, security and development will never be achieved in this important region for Afghanistan, Pakistan, the region, and the world. As a result, millions of people will face continued crisis, and Asia and the world will remain insecure.

Respectfully