DefinePK

Abstract

The relationship between Afghanistan and Pakistan has long been caught in a complex security predicament rooted in Afghanistan’s refusal to recognize the Durand Line as the official international boundary between the two countries, and its territorial claims extending into Pakistani territory across the Durand Line. This security dilemma has evolved, taking on various facets due to several factors, including developments in their bilateral relations and regional dynamics. Political and security-related developments are intrinsically intertwined with the two nations’ interference in each other’s internal matters. Afghanistan’s pursuit of the ‘Pashtunistan’ cause, its establishment of ties with India, and support for the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) have exacerbated this security conundrum. Pakistan, in response, undertook measures to counter Muhammad Daoud Khan’s attempts to meddle in its internal affairs, participated in the Afghan jihad against the Soviet Union and the subsequent civil war, and later aligned itself with the United States during the American invasion of Afghanistan, all of which have engendered discontent among the Afghan populace. This paper aims to elucidate the intricate interplay of these developments and factors in perpetuating the enduring security dilemma in Afghanistan-Pakistan relations.