“Afghanistan is more than the ‘graveyard of empires.’ It’s the mother of vicious circles.”

Afghanistan, also known as the ‘graveyard of empires,’ can be considered a horrific and sometimes miserable part of the South Asian region. This country, or formerly the empire, has always been involved in conflicts, wars, and insurgencies. History is continuously yelling at the changing faces of Afghanistan, bouncing between blood and dust. From the reign of Darius I to the rise of the Taliban, historical evidence has proved that the domestic lords of Afghanistan had always backed out of their words, agreements, and treaties. 

Soon after the independence of Pakistan, the regional state after India that opposed Pakistan’s recognition was Afghanistan. Despite this fact, Pakistan remained positive towards its Muslim brotherly nation. The support of Pakistan for the Afghan brethren needs no explanation, but what we are witnessing now and over the past decade is a continuously growing sentiment of enmity, hatred, and rivalry against Pakistan. This article will provide a critical analysis and a case study of pre-partition Pakistan-Afghanistan relations and the decade-long Afghan deception against Pakistan.

The relations between the rulers of Pakistan and those of Afghanistan traced back to the pre-partition era. Our visionary leader, Allama Muhammad Iqbal, declared Afghanistan as the heart of Asia and the best place for Muslim fraternity and brotherhood. Our forefathers, including the Ali brothers, i.e., Muhammad Ali and Shaukat Ali, officially met with the Afghan leadership, including King Amanullah Khan, to seek their support for the Khilafat movement and the rights of Muslims of India. Afghan leaders provide moral support but are restrained from adopting any practical measures to assist Muslims of India. 

Similarly, the leadership of the Muslim League, i.e., Khan Abdul Qayyum Khan and Sardar Aurangzeb Khan, met with their Afghan counterparts to get their support for the cause of Indian Muslims. Only moral and goodwill gestures were provided, with no concrete support. Despite all this, when Pakistan emerged on the world map as a sovereign independent state, Afghanistan didn’t recognize Pakistan and voted against Pakistan in the UN, raising the issues of the Durand Line and Greater Pashtunistan claims.

The Durand Line was formally recognized as an international border in 1893 when Afghan ruler Amir Abdul Rehman Khan signed an agreement with the British. Later on, Afghan rulers also signed an agreement with the British that no spying assistance would be given to the Russians against Great Britain. Despite this, Russians were given high value, and as a result, a communist government was formed in Afghanistan. Thus, in 1979, Russia invaded Afghanistan for almost 10 years. Russia was defeated and forced to leave because the US and Pakistan provided strategic support to the Afghan Mujahideen. Without the........

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