Pakistan-Afghanistan tensions: Path to brotherhood is way forward
Both sides need to take concerns of each other seriously, the border must transform from a wall of suspicion into a bridge of prosperity
By Shabana Ayaz
(MNTV) – The Pakistan-Afghanistan border has once again become a flashpoint of tension, pushing two brotherly Muslim nations to the brink of confrontation.
What began as a glimmer of hope after the Taliban’s 2021 return to Kabul has spiraled into cross-border militant attacks, drone strikes, trade blockades, and mutual accusations. According to the United Nations 2024 Terrorism Report, over 800 attacks were launched from Afghan soil into Pakistan. More than 12 armed groups, with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) leading the charge, are reportedly active in the area.
Pakistan claims these assaults originate from ungoverned pockets across the border, while the Taliban insist they do not support any anti-Pakistan militia and blame Islamabad’s internal failures. Both sides’ concerns are legitimate in their own context – Pakistan seeks security, Afghanistan defends sovereignty.
In 2024–2025, hundreds of TTP attacks targeted Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, including suicide bombings, rocket fire, and ambushes. Pakistan fears that certain areas across the border provide shelter to the TTP for planning, training, and arms supply.
The Taliban, however, maintain that they do not back any terrorist group and that Pakistani drone strikes or drones of a third country transiting over Pakistan kill Afghan civilians, violating international law. Reports of civilian deaths in Pakistani drone strikes, at least 150 in 2024, including women and children, according to the Institute for Conflict Management, have strengthened the Taliban’s narrative and deepened mistrust.
External powers are taking advantage of the hostility between Pakistan and Afghanistan, with India stepping in a big way. The U.S. intervention is once again hovering around, with President Donald Trump asking for control over Bagram air base. This has also led to security threats to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and many other economic projects and connectivity projects.
Pakistan’s border policies also face criticism. Tribal leaders and human rights activists argue that fencing, strict visa rules, and closed border markets have devastated local economies. Thousands of families living on both sides for generations are now cut off from each other. Trade worth billions has vanished.
At the heart of this crisis lies the 1893 Durand Agreement. Pakistan officially recognizes the Durand Line as its permanent, legal, and internationally recognized border, complete with fencing, checkpoints, and visa controls.
Afghanistan, however, views it as a colonial imposition that divides the Pashtun nation. Some Afghan voices have historically referenced claims up to the Indus River, that is, up to the city of Attock. Both positions are rooted in national narratives. But weaponizing the border only benefits extremists and external powers.
Despite mediation efforts by Türkiye, Qatar, the recent talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan have collapsed over TTP dismantlement, border management, and intelligence sharing. The human toll is immense: tribal economies ruined, youth radicalized, regional stability threatened.
The trade suspension has bankrupted small traders. Skyrocketing prices of food, medicine, and fuel affect millions. Pashtun families separated by the Durand Line cannot reunite. This suffering not only creates a humanitarian crisis but also becomes a recruiting ground for militant groups.
Sustainable peace requires both nations to revisit their policies. Pakistan should prioritize precision intelligence-based operations to avoid civilian casualties in drone strikes, empower border tribes through jergha systems, legal trade, and job programs, and reopen border markets with relaxed visa rules for families.
For the Taliban, they need to be able to prevent any anti-Pakistan activity from its soil, whether through intelligence sharing or joint patrols, it would be a game-changer for trust. Progress on women’s education and human rights is also essential to end global isolation.
Both countries need to establish a Pak-Afghan Peace and Development Commission to coordinate on security, trade, education, and health. Student exchanges, cultural programs, and joint media campaigns promoting brotherhood should resume. Neutral mediators like Türkiye, Iran, and Qatar must facilitate dialogue.
The Holy Quran reminds us: “The believers are but brothers, so make settlement between your brothers.” (Surah Al-Hujurat: 10)
History bears witness – the Iran-Iraq War and Saudi-Iran rivalry only weakened the Ummah. Pakistan and Afghanistan share blood, faith, and destiny. Accusations must give way to dialogue. Denial must yield to trust. Division must bow to unity.
Both sides need to take security concerns of each other seriously. The border must transform from a wall of suspicion into a bridge of prosperity. Let the youth be taught hope, not hate. Let shared history inspire reconciliation, not revenge. Pakistan and Afghanistan can still become a shining example of Muslim unity – but only if they choose peace over pride.
The writer is a Pakistani journalist based in Turkiye
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