The Uncertain Divide: Navigating Pakistan's Porous Border With Afghanistan

The Afghanistan-Pakistan border, also known as the Durand Line, is approximately 2,670 kilometres (1,660 miles) long. The Durand Line was established in 1893 as the border between British India and the Emirate of Afghanistan, marking their respective spheres of influence. It is named after Sir Henry Mortimer Durand, the foreign secretary of the colonial government of India, who negotiated the agreement with Abdur Rahman Khan, the emir of Afghanistan.

The Durand Line has been a source of tension between Afghanistan and Pakistan, with Afghanistan refusing to accept the border as official and seeking the return of Pashtun territories and Balochistan. Pakistan has been building a fence along the border since 2017, which has led to increased hostilities. Despite these disputes, thousands of people cross the border every day, and efforts have been made to facilitate trade and free movement between the two countries.

The Durand Line is the 2,640km border between Afghanistan and Pakistan

The Durand Line is a 2,640km border between Afghanistan and Pakistan, established in 1893 as the international border between the Emirate of Afghanistan and the Indian Empire. The agreement was signed by Sir Mortimer Durand, a secretary of the British Indian government, and Abdur Rahman Khan, the emir of Afghanistan.

The Durand Line has served as the official border between the two nations for over a century, but it has caused controversy for the people who live there. The Durand Line divides the Pashtun areas in two, setting the region up for future tensions due to tribal allegiances spanning both sides of the border. It also gave Balochistan to British India and defined the Wakhan Corridor, a thin strip of land running to the Chinese border, as a buffer zone between the Russian and British empires.

The Durand Line passes through the Pakistani provinces of North-West Frontier Province, Federally Administered Tribal Areas, and Balochistan. It also includes 10 provinces in Afghanistan. The border is south of the Hindu Kush, while its eastern end by China is in the Karakoram range. These are regions of extreme high elevation, hence much of the Durand Line is bounded by mountains. The western part of the Line is lower and sparse, consisting of the Registan Desert.

The Durand Line is recognised internationally as the western border of Pakistan. However, it remains largely unrecognized in Afghanistan. The Durand Line continues to be a source of tension between the governments of Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The border is marked by eight official crossing points and nearly 1,000 military forts

The Durand Line, the international border between Afghanistan and Pakistan, is marked by eight official crossing points and nearly 1,000 military forts. The border is approximately 1,600 miles (2,600 kilometres) long and runs from the border with Iran in the west to the border with China in the east.

The Durand Line was established in 1893 as the international border between the Emirate of Afghanistan and the Indian Empire. It was agreed upon by Sir Henry Mortimer Durand, a British diplomat of the Indian Civil Service, and Abdur Rahman Khan, the Emir of Afghanistan. The Durand Line was reaffirmed as the international border between Afghanistan and British India in the 1919 Anglo-Afghan War.

The Durand Line cuts through the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, and Gilgit-Baltistan regions of northern and western Pakistan and the northeastern and southern provinces of Afghanistan. The border is south of the Hindu Kush mountain range, with its eastern end in the Karakoram range. The western end of the Durand Line is lower in altitude and runs through the Registan Desert.

The border crossing points and military forts are accompanied by more than 1,200 border posts on the Pakistani side of the border. The Pakistan side of the border also features over 400 forts in the northwestern area alone, equipped with cameras and watchtowers. The Balochistan portion of the border is marked with roughly 600 forts.

The border crossing points facilitate the movement of thousands of people and vehicles daily. Torkham, Chaman, and Ghulam Khan border crossings are operational 24 hours a day, six days a week, with Saturday reserved for pedestrian movement. The Torkham border crossing is a vital commercial artery and trade route to Central Asian countries for Pakistan.

The border barrier is designed to prevent terrorism, arms and drug trafficking, illegal immigration, and infiltration. The Pakistani government has been constructing a border barrier since 2017 to curb the movement of militants across the border. The barrier includes plans for building 338 checkpoints and forts along the border by 2019.

The Pakistan side of the border is dotted with more than 1,200 border posts

The Durand Line, established in 1893, is a 2,611-kilometre (1,622-mile) border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Pakistan side of the border is dotted with more than 1,200 border posts, in addition to nearly 1,000 military forts. The border barrier is being built by Pakistan to prevent terrorism, drug trafficking, refugees, illegal immigration, and infiltration across the border.

The Durand Line was established by Mortimer Durand, a British diplomat of the Indian Civil Service, and Abdur Rahman Khan, the Emir of Afghanistan, to fix the limit of their respective spheres of influence and improve diplomatic relations and trade. The line cuts through Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, and Gilgit-Baltistan in Pakistan, and several Afghan provinces, dividing the Pashtun tribes who live on both sides of the border.

The border barrier has been a source of tension between the two countries, with Afghanistan refusing to recognise the Durand Line as a legitimate border. The fencing of the border has led to several skirmishes and clashes between the two countries. Pakistan has defended the fencing as necessary to control the movement of goods and people and to prevent the infiltration of militants.

The border crossing points are economically important for the region, particularly the Torkham and Khyber Pass, which serve as the main land connection between Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent. The movement of people and goods across the border has been impacted by the fencing and the COVID-19 pandemic, with Pakistan imposing restrictions on civilian traffic.

The border area between Afghanistan and Pakistan has long been considered one of the most dangerous places in the world due to the lack of government control, the prevalence of illegal activities, and frequent militant attacks. The Pakistani military has been working to improve border security and has constructed a trench along the border to deter the flow of unauthorised entities.

The fencing of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border has been a costly project for Pakistan, with reports indicating a cost of nearly $532 million. The project has faced opposition from Pashtun political parties in Afghanistan, who object to the existence of the border. Despite the tensions and challenges, the two countries have worked to stabilise border traffic and facilitate trade.

The border barrier is being built to prevent terrorism, arms and drug trafficking, as well as illegal immigration

The Durand Line is a 2,640-kilometre (1,640-mile) border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. The border barrier between the two countries is being built to prevent terrorism, arms and drug trafficking, as well as illegal immigration.

Border Barrier Construction

The construction of the border barrier began in March 2017. As of April 2023, 98% of fencing and 85% of fortifications have been completed. The project is predicted to cost at least $532 million.

Border Crossings

The Afghanistan–Pakistan border is marked by eight official crossing points and nearly 1,000 military forts. The border crossings of Torkham, Chaman and Ghulam Khan are operational 24 hours a day, six days a week.

Border Disputes

The Durand Line was established in 1893 as the border between British India and the Emirate of Afghanistan. The Durand Line divides the Pashtun tribes, who live on both sides of the border. Afghanistan does not recognise the Durand Line as a legitimate border.

Illegal Immigration

In October 2023, Pakistan ordered the expulsion of Afghans from the country. As of November 2023, nearly 300,000 Afghans had left Pakistan. The expulsions mostly affect Afghans, who make up the majority of foreigners in Pakistan.

The border has been a source of conflict between the two nations

The Durand Line, the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan, has been a source of conflict between the two nations for decades. The Durand Line was established in 1893 as the border between British India and the Emirate of Afghanistan, marking their respective spheres of influence. The Durand Line divided the Pashtun tribal areas, resulting in future tensions due to tribal allegiances spanning both sides of the border.

Afghanistan has never recognised the Durand Line as an international border, instead claiming the Pashtun territories in Pakistan. This dispute has resulted in occasional armed skirmishes and firefights between the Afghan and Pakistani armed forces since 1949. Afghanistan has also repeatedly tried to seize Pakistan's western provinces, and border clashes were reported in 1949-50 for the first time.

In recent years, there have been multiple clashes between the Taliban administration and Pakistani border forces. In 2023, the Torkham border crossing between the two nations was closed after security forces from both sides exchanged fire, stranding hundreds of trucks and thousands of travellers. Disputes linked to the border have been a bone of contention between the neighbours for decades.

Pakistan has been constructing a border barrier since 2017 to prevent terrorism, arms and drug trafficking, as well as refugees, illegal immigration, smuggling and infiltration. As of April 2023, 98% of fencing and 85% of fortifications have been completed. However, the Afghan government has opposed the fencing, citing that it will result in "the limitation of the freedom of movement of tribal peoples".

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