The Afghan Taliban’s persistent harbouring and support of anti-Pakistan terrorist groups, particularly the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), have drastically fractured bilateral ties between Islamabad and Kabul, escalating into what observers now term an “open war” characterised by cross-border confrontations. Historical friction between Pakistan and Afghanistan stems from Kabul’s 1947 opposition to Pakistan’s UN entry and its continuous rejection of the Durand Line.

Decades of shared history, entwined by the Soviet invasion, millions of Afghan refugees, and the anti-Soviet war bound the two societies tightly together. After 2001, geopolitical instability fueled mutual blame. Although Islamabad anticipated that the Afghan Taliban’s 2021 return to power would finally secure and stabilise their volatile western border, these expectations collapsed. Instead, the cross-border sanctuary and militancy of the TTP have emerged as the central, deeply divisive dispute undermining bilateral relations.

Historical friction between Pakistan and Afghanistan stems from Kabul’s 1947 opposition to Pakistan’s UN entry and its continuous rejection of the Durand Line.

Historical friction between Pakistan and Afghanistan stems from Kabul’s 1947 opposition to Pakistan’s UN........

© Daily Times