About the Author(s)
Syed Abdul Hasib
Author is an Assistant Professor in Higher and Technical Education Department Government of Pakistan since 2007. Alongside, he write on political, social, contemporary and literary issues both in Urdu and English in various Pakistani newspapers.
The relationship between Pakistan and Afghanistan has historically been strained. One significant reason is Afghanistan’s opposition to Pakistan’s membership in the United Nations, largely because the territories that formed Pakistan were previously part of Afghanistan.
In 1970, the overthrow of King Zahir Shah and the rise to power of Sardar Daoud marked the beginning of deteriorating relations between the two nations. The Afghan government accused Pakistan of supporting Afghan religious leaders such as Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, Burhanuddin Rabbani, Yunus Khalis, Mohammad Nabi Mohammadi, and Professor Sayyaf.
In 1978, Sardar Daoud’s government was overthrown, and a year later, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was ousted by General Zia-ul-Haq’s military regime, bringing both countries to a critical juncture.
When Hafizullah Amin was replaced by Babrak Karmal in 1979, and the Soviet Union directly intervened in Afghanistan, Pakistan-Afghanistan relations reached their lowest point. Most Mujahideen leaders sought refuge in Pakistan, and the Pakistani establishment, following American directives, supported them extensively. The United States, seeking to entangle the Soviets in Afghanistan as retribution for the Vietnam War, further complicated the situation with its involvement.
Pakistan’s military ruler, General Zia-ul-Haq, decided to join the war under American support to legitimize his rule and extend his power, which had far-reaching impacts on Pakistan’s political and social landscape. The training camps for Mujahideen in Pakistan and their use of Pakistani territory further strained relations between the two countries.
General Zia claimed that the Soviet Union planned to reach the warm waters of the Arabian Sea and that Pakistan was a target of Soviet expansionist ambitions. Thus, his government felt compelled to counteract these plans in Afghanistan to protect Pakistan from potential threats.
Regardless of the Soviet Union’s plans and the extent of American support, the conflict of interests between these two superpowers caused immense political and social damage to both Pakistan and Afghanistan. Afghanistan was utterly devastated, while Pakistan became a battleground, with the presence of three million Afghan refugees leaving a lasting impact on its geography.
Apart from the five years of the Taliban’s rule from 1996 to 2001 (a regime supported by the Pakistani establishment), both countries have consistently accused each other of supporting opposition forces.
After the Taliban regime’s fall, Pakistan made considerable efforts to restore cordial relations with Afghanistan, providing generous aid and donating millions of dollars for its reconstruction and rehabilitation. However, the dominance of the Northern Alliance in the Afghan government hindered the acceptance of Pakistan’s goodwill.
The Northern Alliance’s apparent alignment with India and Russia further complicated matters, preventing President Ashraf Ghani from extending a hand of friendship and goodwill towards Pakistan.
During Ashraf Ghani’s tenure, India’s growing interest and intervention in Afghanistan were significant factors contributing to the mistrust and strained relations. Contrary to the expectations of the Pakistani establishment, the return of the Taliban to power in 2021 has brought bilateral relations back to the levels of tension witnessed during the nationalist and communist regimes. The Pakistani establishment’s 27-28 years of investment and efforts in the Taliban have not yielded the anticipated influence. The Taliban’s stance on the Durand Line, their internal policies that minimize Pakistani establishment’s influence, their independence, and their efforts to establish relations with India and Russia, as well as the reported cross-border activities of the Pakistani Taliban and the Taliban government’s lack of cooperation in addressing them, have exacerbated tensions between the two nations.
It is imperative that both brotherly nations bury past grievances and strive to establish positive relations on new foundations.
