US told to link Afghan aid to Durand Line recognition

The subcommittee on foreign affairs also raised questions on missing persons in Sindh

KARACHI/WASHINGTON: A United States subcommittee on Foreign Affairs was told to put conditions on US aid in Afghanistan depending on recognition of Durand line by US law maker Democrat Brad Sherman.



The House subcommittee convened to debate on "Maintaining US influence in South Asia" and Sherman, who regularly has a hard line approach towards Pakistan said that the Afghan government needs to recognise the 2,430km line between Pakistan and Afghanistan in order to achieve desired negotiations from Pakistan.

"The Durand line between Afghanistan and Pakistan has not been recognised by the Afghan government and we ought to condition our aid to Afghanistan on the recognition of that line. The fact is that as long as Afghanistan leaves open the idea that they are claiming Pakistani territory it's going to be very hard to get the Pakistanis involved as we need them involved in controlling the Taliban," Sherman said.

The subcommittee was addressed by Assistant Secretary Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Alice Wells and Acting Assistant Administrator Bureau for Asia USAID, Gloria Steele. None of the opening statements commented on the recognition of Durand line posed by law maker Sherman.

However, Wells did reply to another democrat, Ami Bera who questioned India's involvement in Afghanistan and how it proves to be worrisome for Pakistan said, "Pakistan has real and legitimate security concerns in Afghanistan so does India and we would like to see and appreciate constructive economic investments in Afghanistan's stability."

The Durand Line, established in 1896, is the internationally recognised border between Pakis­tan and Afghanistan. But it remains largely unrecognised in Afghanistan with India often supporting Afghanistan.

"And certainly Pakistan sees its enemy as India, and the idea that India would have a cosy relationship with an Afghanistan that hasn’t recognised the border fans Islamabad’s worries", said Congressman Sherman.

On another note, Congressman Brad Sherman raised the issue of missing persons distinctly in Sindh where he expressed that both Sindhi and Mohajir activists have recently disappeared. "I look forward to working with you to make official inquiries of the Pakistani government of political activists who have just disappeared, including the brother of a friend of mine," he said.