The Pak-Afghan border, also known as the Durand Line, stretches 2,640 kilometers and separates Pakistan from Afghanistan. It has once again become a focal point of rising tensions as border crossings from Torkham to Chaman remain closed amid renewed clashes and diplomatic strain. While Pakistan defines it as a “settled international border,” Afghanistan continues to reject it, calling it “an imposed colonial division that disrupted centuries-old Pashtun and Baloch social fabric.”
Historical Roots of the Dispute
The origins of the Durand Line trace back to 1893, when Ameer Abdur Rahman Khan, the then ruler of Afghanistan, sought to negotiate boundaries with Sir Mortimer Durand, the Foreign Secretary of British India. The resulting Durand Line Agreement established spheres of influence between the two sides, marking administrative control rather than political sovereignty.
Following the agreement, a detailed demarcation process began, stretching across the Domandi–Chaman, Koh-i-Malik Siah, Sikaram–Laram, and Waziristan regions. The Afghan-Waziristan Boundary Commission and the Asmar Boundary Commission handled much of this work, though progress was marred by Afghan objections and repeated violations, such as the occupation of Bashgal and Nasrat in defiance of agreed boundaries.
By 1905, British authorities had completed most of the demarcation, with the Wakhan Corridor, a narrow buffer between British India and Tsarist Russia, added as a geopolitical safeguard. Despite this, the resentment among tribes divided by the line never faded.
Why Afghans Reject the Durand Line?
Afghanistan’s refusal to accept the Durand Line stems from deep-rooted national sentiment and identity politics. Kabul argues that the agreement expired after 100 years and was imposed under duress on a weak Afghan ruler. Afghan nationalists claim the border divides the Pashtun heartland, separating families, tribes, and trade routes that existed long before colonial rule.
After Pakistan’s creation in 1947, Afghanistan was the only country to vote against Pakistan’s admission to the United Nations, citing the unresolved border issue. Since then, successive Afghan governments, from monarchs to republics to the Taliban, have maintained the same stance, calling the Durand Line a “line of separation, not sovereignty.”
Speaking to the Hindukush Tribune Network (HTN), Former Ambassador to Afghanistan, Amb. Abrar Hussain said that the issue has long been exploited for internal political gains in Afghanistan rather than grounded in demographic or legal realities.
“Less than one-third of total Pashtuns live in Afghanistan. And the issue has been used only for domestic politics in Afghanistan,” he noted. “If at all they are to get united, logically it should be the minority joining the majority. And if this formula is applied, Afghan Tajiks should join Tajikistan, Afghan Uzbeks can ask for a merger with Uzbekistan, and Afghan Turkmens may like to be united with Turkmenistan.”
He further clarified that the argument of the Durand Line Agreement “expiring after 100 years” holds no merit.
“The claim that the agreement ‘expired after 100 years’ has no legal basis at all, nor is there any such clause in the agreement itself,” Ambassador Abrar emphasized. “It was not only signed by Amir Abdur Rahman in 1893 but also endorsed by his son Amir Habibullah in 1905 and grandson Amir Amanullah Khan in 1919.”
Adding to this, Senior Journalist Aqeel Yousafzai told HTN that Afghanistan’s stance on the Durand Line remains weak both demographically and diplomatically.
“Afghanistan’s total population is smaller than the Pashtun population residing in Pakistan,” he explained. “Moreover, Kabul has never raised this issue at any international forum in the same way Pakistan has consistently advocated the Kashmir cause. Internationally, the Durand Line is recognized as a legitimate border.”
Yousafzai further noted that if Afghanistan truly rejected the Durand Line’s legitimacy, “there should not logically be an Afghan consulate operating in Peshawar.” He added that the border issue is often revived as a tool of political bargaining and pressure, a pattern visible once again during the Doha Agreement discussions.
Pakistan’s Position: Legality and Sovereignty
Pakistan, however, insists that the Durand Line is a legally recognized international boundary, anchored in the principles of international law. The doctrine of uti possidetis juris, which grants new states the same borders as their colonial predecessors, along with the Vienna Convention on State Succession (1978) and pacta sunt servanda (“agreements must be kept”), affirm the border’s permanence.
Islamabad’s officials argue that Afghanistan’s continued denial stems from political motives rather than historical fact. “The Durand Line is as final as any international border,” a senior Pakistani security official told Hindukush Tribune. “It is recognized by the global community, and Pakistan has every right to secure it.”
Modern Measures: Fencing the Frontier
In recent years, Pakistan has completed fencing along nearly 98% of the border, citing the need to curb terrorism, smuggling, and unauthorized crossings. The fence spanning rugged mountains and deserts has dramatically reduced infiltration, according to Pakistani authorities.
However, Afghan border guards have repeatedly clashed with Pakistani forces during the fencing process, calling it a unilateral act. The latest tensions at Torkham, Kurram, and Chaman reflect this long-standing friction, as trade remains suspended and residents bear the brunt of economic disruption.
A Border That Symbolizes More Than Geography
Experts argue that the Durand Line today represents more than a territorial dispute; it’s a symbol of competing national narratives.
As regional instability continues, the Durand Line remains both a geographical boundary and a geopolitical flashpoint. While Pakistan has called for a “peaceful, stable, and regionally connected Afghanistan,” the Taliban government’s refusal to recognize the border or act against militant sanctuaries has strained relations further.
Until Kabul and Islamabad reconcile history with present realities, the Durand Line will continue to stand, a century-old line drawn by colonial pens, but redrawn every day in politics, blood, and mistrust.
