The Durand Line: South Asia's New Trouble Spot
Abstract
The Durand Line, the western border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, was delineated in 1893 as the boundary between then British India and Afghanistan. The international community has recognized the Durand line as the Pakistan-Afghan border since the creation of Pakistan in 1947, but successive Afghan rulers have repudiated its legitimacy. This dispute has caused turbulence in relations between these two countries and worsened problems with regard to Pashtun nationalism. The Durand Line has remained porous due to the nature of tribal cultures and the socio-economic compulsions of the people living along it. The Durand Line was exploited to launch the Afghan Jihad against the Soviets in the 1980s. The Global War on Terror (GWOT) in Afghanistan has once again brought misperceptions regarding alignment and the porous nature of the Durand Line into the lime light. This thesis demonstrates that existing combat operations against Al-Qaeda and the Taliban and the exploitation of the Durand Line by the U.S.-led coalition forces has had a destabilizing effect on Pakistan because of the autonomous nature of tribal areas and Pakistan's need to extend its authority in tribal areas while supporting the GWOT. This thesis recommends that a clear understanding of the Durand Line as an international border by all concerned states will enhance the coordination of operations on all tiers, and thereby prevent this border from becoming South Asia's next trouble spot.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 2005
- Accession Number
- ADA435574
Entities
People
- Tariq Mahmood
Organizations
- Naval Postgraduate School