Durand line,s reality and PM Gillani of Pakistan

Durand line’s reality and PM Pakistan
By Zar Ali Khan Musazai
The boundary between Afghanistan and Pakistan takes it name from Sir Henry Mortimer Durand, foreign secretary of British India, who concluded an agreement with Amir Abdul Rahman Khan (ruled 1880-1901) of Afghanistan on 12 November 1893. This agreement formally adjusted the "the eastern and southern frontier of His Highness's dominions, from Wakhan to the Persian border." The history of the Durand Line goes back to the Treaty of Gandumak, signed in May 1879 between British Major Louis Cavagnari and the Afghan Amir Mohammad Ya'qub Khan during the Second Anglo-Afghan War of 1879-80. According to provisions of the Gandumak Agreement, the British were to maintain a military and diplomatic presence in Afghanistan and control its foreign policy. Also, Britain was granted jurisdictional control of the three strategically significant frontier districts of Kurram, Sibi, and Pishin. However, when the Gandumak plan failed to achieve peace, the British
opted to leave Afghanistan, but to ensure that it remained a buffer state between their own Indian empire and the Russian empire in Central Asia.
Pakistani Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani in a recent meeting held with American Home land secretary of security where he demanded of Americans to force Afghan Government to accept to fence the Durand line and make it as a permanent border between two countries.

Pashtun/Afghans will never accept Durand Line as a permanent border between two countries and to fence it is never acceptable to Afghan living both sides of the Durand line. It is a line drawn forcefully which has artificially divided one nation into two parts in1893 at a time when English were ruling India. English drew this line without the consent of the Pashtun/Afghans.Since the time Pashtun/Afghans have not realized this as a border and will not do so in future.

It is true that Americans are the friends of Pashtun/Afghan and we do know that they will help us in the solution of our problems but as for as the fencing of Durand line is concerned Pashtun/Afghan request them and international community to force Pakistani leadership to avoid further miseries of Pashtun/Afghan and help them in resolving of their issues which will make this nation to get united and this is the real solution of all the problems in region. Taking Pashtun /Afghan away from each other will never help in elimination of terrorism rather it needs commitment, sincerity and honesty on the part of Islamabad. The sources and nests of terrorists are in the Punjab.

If international community is sincere to eliminate the terrorism from the region, then it will have to strive to work hard and get Larawbar Pashtun /Afghan united. Pashtun/Afghan know that terrorists and their promoters have been using the Pashtun areas to weaken Afghanistan and such tactics mean just to show the world that Durand line be accepted as a permanent border. But this should be clear to all and sundry that the problems will not be solved rather will perpetuate. Pashtun/Afghan are against terrorism and are 100% sincere in it but those who have made this as a profession to earn dollars and dream to fence Durand line in this context will not succeed. International community knows well those who promote terrorism and why? And this is the reason that today such demands are put forward. Swat has no Durand line but terrorists are there. It means that fencing will solve the problem is like living in fools paradise.
Pashtun/Afghan demands of International Community to help Pashtun/Afghans get united and take this issue very serious. It is not a problem of the two states that they will sit together and say O.K. It is a long standing demand of a nation which has been kept separated for more than 100 years artificially. Pashtun/Afghan also urge upon all Pashtun/Afghans living every where in the world as Diaspora to stand united and appraise the world about their problems and get them informed that Durand Line is not a border and Pashtun/Afghans will never accept it as one because this is the issue of a nation survival.
21st is the century of unity of the colonially divided nations. If world community wishes to see this region as a cradle of peace then it will have help to bring artificially divided nation closer and keeping it further aloof will create problems.

PM Pakistan has no right to dictate international community and Afghan Government on this sensitive issue to fence the Durand line. All Afghan will stand united to foil such conspiracies against this brave nation. Afghan living both sides of Durand line have been suffered heavily and wounding them further will create problems not solution of the issue. Pashtun/Afghan again demanded of Pakistani PM to forbid issuing such statements as these injure Pashtun /Afghan and Pakistani establishment should leave Afghan to concentrate to prevail peace in region and develop Afghanistan. Pashtun are the victims in Pakistan and rubbing salt on their wounded body should be stopped.

The Durand Line was demarcated by the British and signed into a treaty in 1893 with the Afghan ruler Amir Abdur Rehman Khan. The treaty was to stay in force for a 100-year period. According to Afrasiab Khattak, a political analyst, the areas from the Khayber Agency Northwards to Chitral, however, remained un-demarcated.

This disputed land was legally to be returned to Afghanistan in 1993 after the 100 year old Durand Treaty expired, similar to how Hong Kong was returned to China. Kabul has refused to renew the Durand Line treaty since 1993 when it expired, throughout, years, Pakistan has tried to get Afghan Warlords and Taliban to sign a renewal contract of the Treaty, and thankfully they didn’t not fall for the treachery of Pakistan. One of the reasons Pakistan faced problems with the Kabul rulers right from its inception was Kabul's claim over the North West frontier Province. (NWFP) Kabul never accepted that line or the fact that the NWFP is part of Pakistan.
The Durand Line stretches 2,640 kilometers (1,610 miles). Afghanistan's loya jirga or 'tribal court' of 1949 declared the Durand Line invalid as they saw it as ex parte on their side (since British India ceased to exist in 1947 with the independence of Pakistan.
The British presented a signed document with the person of King Abdul Rahman Khan in 1893 referring to the borders between Afghanistan and British India. This document was in English and the person of Abdul Rahman Khan did not understand the English language, therefore leads the suspicious nature of forgery and or false documentation. The Dari or Pashto translation of this document or agreement has never been signed by Amir Abdul Rahman Khan, suggesting that he nullified this agreement.
Durand Line Agreement is an illegal agreement, and therefore, it is null and void
Agreement between Amir Abdur Rahman Khan, G. C. S. I., and Sir Henry Mortimer Durand, K. C. I. E., C. S. I.
Whereas certain questions have arisen regarding the frontier of Afghanistan on the side of India, and whereas both His Highness the Amir and the Government of India are desirous of settling these questions by friendly understanding, and of fixing the limit of their respective spheres of influence, so that for the future there may be no difference of opinion on the subject between the allied Governments, it is hereby agreed as follows:
The eastern and southern frontier of his Highness’s dominions, from Wakhan to the Persian border, shall follow the line shown in the map attached to this agreement.

The Government of India will at no time exercise interference in the territories lying beyond this line on the side of Afghanistan, and His Highness the Amir will at no time exercise interference in the territories lying beyond this line on the side of India.

The British Government thus agrees to His Highness the Amir retaining Asmar and the valley above it, as far as Chanak. His Highness agrees, on the other hand, that he will at no time exercise interference in Swat, Bajaur, or Chitral, including the Arnawai or Bashgal valley. The British Government also agrees to leave to His Highness the Birmal tract as shown in the detailed map already given to his Highness, who relinquishes his claim to the rest of the Waziri country and Dawar. His Highness also relinquishes his claim to Chageh.

The frontier line will hereafter be laid down in detail and demarcated, wherever this may be practicable and desirable, by joint British and Afghan commissioners, whose object will be to arrive by mutual understanding at a boundary which shall adhere with the greatest possible exactness to the line shown in the map attached to this agreement, having due regard to the existing local rights of villages adjoining the frontier.

With reference to the question of Chaman, the Amir withdraws his objection to the new British cantonment and concedes to the British Governmeni the rights purchased by him in the Sirkai Tilerai water. At this part of the frontier the line will be drawn as follows.

From the crest of the Khwaja Amran range near the Psha Kotal, which remains in British territory, the line will run in such a direction as to leave Murgha Chaman and the Sharobo spring to Afghanistan, and to pass half-way between the New Chaman Fort and the Afghan outpost known locally as Lashkar Dand. The line will then pass half-way between the railway station and the hill known as the Mian Baldak, and, turning south-wards, will rejoin the Khwaja Amran range, leaving the Gwasha Post in British territory, and the road to Shorawak to the west and south of Gwasha in Afghanistan. The British Government will not exercise any interference within half a mile of the road.

The above articles of' agreement are regarded by the Government of India and His Highness the Amir of Afghanistan as a full and satisfactory settlement of all the principal differences of opinion which have arisen between them in regard to the frontier; and both the Government of India and His Highness the Amir undertake that any differences of detail, such as those which will have to be considered hereafter by the officers appointed to demarcate the boundary line, shall be settled in a friendly spirit, so as to remove for the future as far as possible all causes of doubt and misunderstanding between the two Governments.

Being fully satisfied of His Highness’s goodwill to the British Government, and wishing to see Afghanistan independent and strong, the Government of India will raise no objection to the purchase and import by His Highness of munitions of war, and they will themselves grant him some help in this respect. Further, in order to mark their sense of the friendly spirit in which His Highness the Amir has entered into these negotiations, the Government of India undertake to increase by the sum of six lakhs of rupees a year the subsidy of twelve lakhs now granted to His Highness.
H. M. Durand,
Amir Abdur Rahman Khan.
Kabul, November

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