Source: FP
Subject: Geography
Context: Renewed military clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan have intensified tensions across the Durand Line, signalling a deep rupture in political and military ties.
About Durand Line:
What it is?
- The Durand Line is a 2,600-km international land boundary separating Afghanistan and Pakistan, originally drawn in 1893 to demarcate spheres of influence between British India and the Emirate of Afghanistan.
Location:
- Extends from the Iran–Afghanistan border in the west to the China–Pakistan border in the east.
- Passes through rugged terrains including the Karakoram Range, Spīn Ghar (White Mountains), and the historic Khyber Pass.
- Divides Pashtun and Baloch tribal regions across both countries.
History:
- Established in 1893 under an agreement between Sir Henry Mortimer Durand (British India) and Emir Abdur Rahman Khan of Afghanistan.
- Formalised through joint surveys between 1894–1896.
- Reaffirmed in the 1919 Treaty of Rawalpindi after the Third Anglo-Afghan War.
- After Pakistan’s creation in 1947, it inherited the border agreement, but Afghanistan refused to recognise it as a legitimate international boundary.
- Since 1947, the issue has remained contentious, particularly over Pashtun identity and territorial claims.
Key Features:
- Colonial Legacy Border: Drawn during the Great Game between Britain and Russia to secure British India’s northwest frontier.
- Ethnic Division: Splits Pashtun and Baloch communities across two states, fueling cross-border militancy and identity politics.
- Strategic Corridor: Includes the Wakhan Corridor, created as a buffer between British India and Tsarist Russia.
- Militarised Frontier: Pakistan began fencing the border in 2017, intensifying friction with Afghanistan.
- Geographically Rugged: Traverses deserts, mountains, and tribal belts, complicating border management.
Significance:
- The line remains central to Pakistan–Afghanistan tensions, especially regarding the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and cross-border militancy.
- Historically tied to Pakistan’s strategic depth policy in Afghanistan, which has now backfired amid Taliban-Pakistan tensions.
