Pakistan’s decision to erect a border fence along the Durand Line has ignited fresh opposition from Afghans, according to recent statements from the Taliban. Pakistan began fencing the 2,640 km border with Afghanistan in March 2017, following a series of attacks originating from across the border.
The Durand Line, which is around 2,670 km long, was drawn in 1893 in the Hindu Kush. Initially created as the boundary separating Afghanistan and British India, it currently denotes the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Durand Line was a result of the 19th century Great Game, wherein the British exploited Afghanistan as a buffer against the anticipated Russian expansionism towards the east.
The demarcation agreement, which came to be known as the Durand Line, was signed in 1893 by the British civil servant Sir Henry Mortimer Durand and Amir Abdur Rahman, then Afghan ruler. The agreement outlined “spheres of influence” for British India and Abdur Rahman on the Afghan frontier. The arrangement recognized a stretch of line starting from China’s border and terminating at Afghanistan’s border with Iran. The strategically crucial Khyber Pass was also incorporated into the British sphere of influence.
Further Implications of the Durand Line
The implementation of the Durand Line split Pashtun tribal areas, causing divisions amongst villages, families, and lands across the two “spheres of influence”. With Pakistan gaining independence in 1947, it inherited the Durand Line and the associated issues, including Pashtun disapproval of the line and Afghanistan’s refusal to acknowledge it.
When the Taliban first seized power in Kabul, they rejected the Durand Line and reinforced Pashtun identity with Islamic radicalism. This consequently resulted in the formation of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, causing numerous terrorist attacks since 2007 and leaving the country unstable.
Other Significant Boundary Lines
The McMahon Line is another critical boundary line, named after British Indian Army officer Lieutenant Colonel Sir Arthur Henry McMahon. The line is a demarcation between Tibet and north-east India, proposed by Colonel McMahon at the Shimla Convention of 1914. Though recognised by the Republic of India and Tibetan authorities, China disputes the line’s validity.
The Line of Actual Control (LAC), which divides Indian territory from Chinese territory, follows the 1914 McMahon Line in the eastern sector.
Lastly, the Radcliffe Line separated British India into India and Pakistan, with its architect being Sir Cyril Radcliffe. The western side of the line now represents the Indo-Pakistani border, while the eastern side serves as the India-Bangladesh border.