Pakistans Reliance on Afghanistan

as its Strategic depth- a myth

Durand Line in Historical

Perspective and Present
Concerns

Sequence
Background

Current Situation and Concerns

Observations
and
Recommendations

2,640 km
(1,519 mile)

THE DURAND LINE

AGREEMENT
Amir Abdur Rehman

Sir Mortimer Durand

November 12, 1893

Each party pledged,
not to exercise interference in the territories lying
beyond this line.

Tribal Resentment

Major Hurdle

AFGHANISTANS
CLAIMS
Denouncing the Treaty
Unilateral Cancellation of the Agreement
Expiration of Agreement after Lapse of Hundred Years
Free Movement across the Durand Line
Greater Pakhtunistan

PAKISTANS STANCE

International Boundary

Durand Accord specified no time limits

Tribal Allegiance to Pakistan 1946-47

Current Situation

China

Russia
Iran

Major Powers
India

United
States

War on Terror
Stable and Pakistan
Friendly Govt.
in Afghanistan

Major
Concerns

Porous Border
Operations
along
Durand line
Opening up of two
fronts
Indian Influence
In Afghanistan

Pashtun
Nationalism
Drug Flow
Afghan Refugees

GWOT

South Asias Newest Trouble Spot

Observations
and
Recommendations

A] To The Government Of
Pakistan
It must be demarcated wholly and officially
Pak-Afghan border

More controlled crossing points

Repatriation Of Afghan refugees

Use of renewed alliance with the international

community

U.S. security assistance for the counterterrorism operations

Keep a check on increasing Indian influence

B] FATA SPECIFIC

Development projects being initiated now,

must have consistency with long-term aims

The United States

And
The International Community
U.S. must pursue to resolve and complete the border
demarcations
Frequent border meetings and sharing of
intelligence
U.S.-led coalition forces establish posts on
the Afghanistan side of the frontier to seal
the border
Build a truly national army for Afghanistan,
and extend essential infrastructure

Extend support for better development in

FATA

Must understand that it does not suit Pakistan's

strategic interests to have hostile governments on
both borders

Conclusion
It is a time of coexistence,
reconciliation,
and negotiation

Afghanistan and Pakistan must cooperate for

peace and stability in the region

Thank
You

Sequence
Strategic importance of Afghanistan.
Back ground of Pak-Afghan relations
Concept of strategic depth
What Pakistan should do?

Strategic importance of Afghanistan

Geography of

Afghanistan and
international game for oil
As trade route to CARs
Being neighbor of
powers like Russia and
China

Background of Pak-Afghan Relations

Relations are tense right from 1947
More hostile enemy on eastern border
In 1979, with Russian aggression of

Afghanistan, Pakistan became a front line state

in cold war against Russia
At this juncture Pakistan perceived
Afghanistan as it strategic depth.

Concept of strategic depth

This loosely defined concept is more of a

stretch in strategic imagination, conjuring up

an outmoded image of a Napoleonic
maneuverstrading space to fight back.
Military strategy in this day and age
especially in the nuclear context has changed
the environment and also the concepts of war
fighting
( General Mirza Aslam Beg "Afghanistan Turmoil and regional
security Imperatives," paper read at conference in Tehran
December 22, 2002.)

Pakistans reliance on Afghanistan

as strategic depth
The strategic depth notion is simply divorced

from reality. Pakistan's life-line

communications lie close and parallel to its
border with India. Pakistan will cease to exist
if it allows a deep thrust by India into its
territory.
General (retired) Aslam Beg

Pakistans reliance on Afghanistan as strategic depth contd

Afghanistan has always been quasi-hostile, too

unstable and tribal for any sane leader to

contemplate putting strategic assets in that
place.
General (retd) Aslam Beg

What Pakistan should do?

the strategic depth policy-a myth

and proved counter productive.

Afghanistan as a strategic partner
minimize Indian influence in Afghanistan.
stable government in Afghanistan
The recent loya jirga

Discussion
Q&A