RELATIONS between Pakistan and Afghanistan are deteriorating at an alarming pace.

The establishment’s narrative suggests that Afghans are acting as India’s proxies. While this argument may resonate with the general public, those familiar with the region’s complex history and geopolitics understand that the reality is far more nuanced. To better grasp the situation, it is essential to recall some historical context before posing a few questions that merit serious reflection. Historically, nearly all invasions of the Indian subcontinent passed through Afghanistan. Neither the Persian nor the Chinese empires ever sought to conquer India. Afghan incursions were typically driven by motives of plunder and the ambition to control territories bordering Afghanistan. At different points in history, Afghan rulers held sway over regions that today constitute parts of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Balochistan provinces.

However, it’s also true that Indian rulers invaded Afghanistan for centuries. Emperor Ashoka of the Mauryan dynasty governed Kandahar as early as 300 BCE. In more recent history, Maharaja Ranjit Singh pushed Afghan forces back and extended his rule up to the current borders of Pakistan, even intervening in Afghan politics to install his preferred leaders. The point is clear: the regions of former Indian Punjab (modern-day........

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