The writer is Executive Editor of The Express Tribune
Or perhaps, Pakistan’s security agencies had really done a very good job of effectively securing the Durand Line, making it impossible for the Afghan Taliban hiding in the safe havens on our side of the border to cross over and disrupt the Afghan polls. Or perhaps, it was a combination of both: the Afghan security forces taking effective care of their Taliban inside Afghanistan and Pakistani security agencies effectively blocking “our” Afghan Taliban from mounting bloody mischief across the border.
Come to think of it, perhaps, it was for the first time in our 67-year-old eventful history that we were able to close down the Durand Line so effectively (since so far Kabul has not complained of any cross-border infiltration on election day, it is, perhaps, safe to assume that the closure was really effective). It must have taken a lot of manpower, money and technology to mount such a tight security wall across 2,640 kilometres of border even for one single day. But then if the benefit is mutually so enormous, why mind the cost.
And many in Pakistan, who had never favoured the strategic depth idea and had always opposed those handful of Pakistanis who looked at Afghanistan as our backyard or even worse, as our satellite, would like to see the wall made permanent, no matter what the cost because in the long run, it would still be a highly profitable arrangement.
For one thing, a fully secured Durand Line would make it next to impossible for the mischief mongers to launch attacks on our western neighbour from our side of the border or provide safe two-way passage across to terrorists, criminals, absconders, murderers, car lifters and smugglers, causing enormous social and economic losses to Pakistan, while at the same time, turning the country into what can only be called as the world’s softest state.
This would also help us in isolating the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) from Mullah Omar’s bunch and perhaps, even neutralising them because most of their supplies of money and weapons come from across the Durand Line.
One would like to assume that the decision to close down the Durand Line on the day Afghanistan was holding its presidential elections marked a significant but welcome departure in our age-old Afghan policy, which used to be dictated, until the advent of the third Nawaz government, by the hegemonic mentality of our establishment.
The porousness of the border, its extraordinary length, dotted with almost impossible accesses and the fact that the Durand Line had cut through thousands of households separating brother from brother, with one living on the Afghan side of the border and the other on the Pakistani side, were the main arguments used by the Pakistani establishment to camouflage its strategic depth intentions and its long-term plan to turn Afghanistan into Pakistan’s satellite.
But this policy did not win any friends in Afghanistan for us. In fact, over time, we became a butt of their hatred. And our continued failure to stop the Afghan Taliban from launching attacks across the border from our soil won us the ire of the US-led international forces stationed in Afghanistan, which were the main targets of these attacks.
The Nawaz Administration, it is assumed, took the right decision at the right time, of course with decisive input from the army and its intelligence agencies, to close down the Durand Line for a day to facilitate elections in Afghanistan. But this is only the first step towards mending fences with the people of Afghanistan. In the coming days, weeks and months, we will be called upon to take many more such steps to win Afghan hearts and minds. But our good intentions would finally be tested against our ability and willingness to take on the Afghan Taliban hiding on our side of Durand Line after the foreign troops leave Afghanistan.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 9th, 2014.
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COMMENTS (13)
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@Noor Nabi: The point is that 60 years of Afghanistan working with India to gain strategic depth in Pakistan has brought nothing but turmoil for Afghanis. Hopefully they will focus on doing what is best for their people instead of interfering in the border regions of Pakistan where people have spurned Afghan interference in KPK and Baluch issues. It doesn't make sense to run to Pakistan for safety and jobs but then work with India to undermine the country where you are living as a refugee. My own relatives in Peshawar want to see Durrand Line mined and fences where possible so it doesn't matter what Afghanistan government says about the border.
While it is interesting that the author thinks that its all down to Nawaz's administration and not the army. Moreover, the justification of not closing down the border as defined
"the fact that the Durand Line had cut through thousands of households separating brother from brother, with one living on the Afghan side of the border and the other on the Pakistani side"
Cut out Durand line and replace it with Wagah, Tharparkar or any other Indian border, the same could apply there as well. Ever thought on those lines?
Pakistan lost and wasted two precious decades (one generation). Better late than never. Whoever came up with strategic depth idea should be hanged.
@sterry: What border? The Afghans have a different interpretation of this; they do not recognize the Durand Line.
When it was time to sort out this contentious Durand Line issue with Afgahistan the rulers of Pakistan were seeking "strategic depth" in Afghanisten. It seems - with a civil war imminent in Afghanistan in the near future - they think it is their turn to seek "strategic depth" in Pakistan. The Durand Line is not a short and straight line on a flat piece of land; it is "2,640 km" (as per the author) and everybody knows that it is a most challenging terrain. It is not as simple as shutting up the gate at Torkham and putting a big fat lock on it.
@water bottle: The real question is whether Afghanistan has learned this lesson after 60 years of trying to interfere in Pakistan. Even the US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel noted that India uses Afghanistan as a base to conduct criminal acts in Pakistan. Unless Afghanistan gives up this long practice it will continue to destabilize itself as it has. Sealing the border and preventing movement of people is the best solution.
@Noor Nabi: Quite true, a quid pro quo is required here.
Policy of non interference in Afghanistan will be beneficial for both countries. We should maintain friendly relations with with our neighbors.
the paradigm shift will benefit pakistan. its time for pakistan to heal herself instead for poking others!
Afghanistan has never ever accepted the Durand Line as an international border between the two countries. Absence this recognition the wisdom of this article is mere wishful thinking.
Fence rarely wins when the guy your trying to keep out has explosives, rockets and mortars. The best solution to send a clear message that the days of sanctuary are over ... make Pakistan a dangerous place for the trouble makers and they may prefer to stay put in Afghanistan.
Actually, the turnout was 60 percent, not 50 percent.
Otherwise, great post.
Seal the Durand line permanently and leave the Afghans in peace. They (and we in Pakistan) have suffered far too long.