CSS Special 2023 Solved Current Affairs Past Papers | Issues in Afghanistan-Pakistan Relations since 2021
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Question breakdown
This question has one major part. It requires discussion of critical issues in Afghanistan-Pakistan relations since the Taliban took over Kabul in 2021.
Outline
1-Introduction
2-Taliban takeover of government in August 2021
3-Historical and geopolitical significance of Pak-Afghan relations
4-Critical issues between the Taliban government and Pakistan
- ✓ Durand line and border security Dispute
- ✓ Militant Groups and their Cross-Border Terrorism
- ✓ Humanitarian concerns and refugee crises
- ✓ Disrupted economic and Trade relations
- ✓ Internal and regional stability concerns
4-Critical Analysis
5-Conclusion
Answer to the Question
Introduction
The Taliban’s takeover of Kabul in August 2021 marked a turning point in Afghanistan’s regional and political landscape. It has far-reaching implications for its neighbours and region, particularly Pakistan. Afghanistan has excellent geopolitical importance and has often served as a buffer state in the South Asian continent, which affects Pakistan’s security dynamics, mainly since 1979’s Soviet invasion, which led to a massive influx of refugees from Afghanistan into Pakistan, three million of them still reside in Pakistan today. The recent Taliban takeover of Kabul in 2021 has further intensified the relationship, impacting trade, diplomatic engagements and regional security. Despite sharing economic potential and two billion dollars of bilateral trade annually, the relationship remains fraught with strategic manoeuvring and mutual distrust, making it one of the most consequential and complex in the region.
Taliban takeover of government in August 2021
The Taliban toppled the U.S.-led invasion in 2001 in August 2021, swept back into power, and the United States withdrew its troops as outlined in a 2020 peace agreement with them. The Taliban government has imposed a harsh interpretation of Islamic shariah and law despite pledges to respect the rights of women and ethnic and religious minorities. However, as they transitioned from an insurgent group to a fully functional government, they struggled to provide Afghans with food supplies and possible economic opportunities. Contrary to this, their government has also wiped out the Afghans’ standards of living that were made during US control over the land. According to the UNDP report of 2022, almost all Afghans were living in extreme poverty; the economy has shrunk up to 30% since their control, and 90 % of the population suffered from food insecurity. One reason behind these intense crises was a pause in aid from international organizations, which is the lifeline of the economies of developing and underdeveloped countries.
Historical and geopolitical significance of Pak-Afghan relations
Pak-Afghan relations are deeply rooted in shared ethnic, cultural, and religious ties, but strategic concerns and conflicts also mark this relationship bond. Afghanistan has excellent geopolitical importance and has often served as a buffer state in the South Asian continent, which affects Pakistan’s security dynamics, mainly since 1979’s Soviet invasion, which led to a massive influx of refugees from Afghanistan into Pakistan, three million of them still reside in Pakistan today. The Durand Line, a colonial-era border, remained contentious; it continues fueling tensions over cross-border militant activities and border management. Pakistan’s support to Afghan mujahideen during the Soviet-Afghan war in the early 1980s and later involvement in the post-9/11 war on terror has influenced bilateral ties. The recent Taliban takeover of Kabul in 2021 has further intensified the relationship, impacting trade, diplomatic engagements and regional security. Despite sharing economic potential and two billion dollars of bilateral trade annually, the relationship remains fraught with strategic manoeuvring and mutual distrust, making it one of the most consequential and complex in the region.
Critical issues between the Taliban government and Pakistan
- ✓ Durand line and border security Dispute:
The Durand Line, the Pak-Afghan border, stretches from the North of Pamirs to the south in the Arabian Sea. It covers a distance of 2,430 kilometres, which starts from the snow-capped mountains of the north, crosses the fertile mid territories and leads to the dry and barren southern areas. It cuts through the tribal areas of Pashtuns and the region of south Baluch, which politically divided Baluchs, ethnic Pashtuns and other groups living on its borders. This contentious border was established during British colonial rule, which has been a perennial source of tension for both countries; it demarcates Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, Baluchistan and Gilgit-Baltistan (Part of Jammu & Kashmir) of northern and western Pakistan from Afghanistan’s north-eastern and southern provinces. Scholars wrote it as dangerous hot spots in the world, stained with the history of war and bloodshed. The prominent bone of contention between the two is Kabul’s narrative based on the support of the Pashtun population in KPK and Afghanistan, which refutes the legality of the border. The Taliban does not officially recognize the Durand Line as the international border, and this has led to repeated border clashes, which include the construction of fences by Islamabad to prevent cross-border movement. For example, in 2022, the cases reported in Spin Boldak and Chaman intensified tensions and impacted regional security.
- ✓ Militant Groups and their Cross-Border Terrorism:
The presence of militant groups in Pakistan, Afghanistan and their vicinity, like the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), has emerged as a critical point of concern for Pakistan and the South Asian region. Since the Taliban takeover in 2021, the TTP has intensified its terrorism in Pakistan, leading to speculations and accusations that Kabul’s Taliban government is either sheltering these groups or failing to act against them. Pakistan has efficiently responded by promptly increasing border security and conducting several military operations, which further strained the relationship between both. For instance, in April 2022, Islamabad conducted multiple airstrikes in the Khost and Kunar provinces of Afghanistan, targeting TTP hideouts, which later brought condemnation from the Taliban government. Pakistan also decided to return Afghan refugees to their homeland in different phases, which also heated animosity between the two.
- ✓ Humanitarian concerns and refugee crises:
Whenever there is an unstable situation in Afghanistan, Afghanistan is not the sole bearer of the consequences. Still, in parallel, Pakistan faces the same, as they are connected on many fronts. So following the Taliban’s takeover in 2021, which brought Pakistan a renewed influx of Afghan refugees seeking stability and security became another concern. This refugee crisis has exacerbated social and economic challenges for Pakistan. Pakistan was already hosting more than millions of Afghan refugees from previous unstable situations. The humanitarian burden on Pakistan and its resources eventually has led to calls for international aid and assistance and, ultimately, the formulation of stricter refugee policies to control refugee crises. For example, the United Nations reported in 2022 a report that indicated a massive increase in Afghan refugees crossing borders to Pakistan, which raised concerns about social integration and border security.
- ✓ Disrupted economic and Trade relations:
Trade is crucial to a country’s economy. Trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan has been heavily distorted since the Taliban control over Kabul; this is due to internal instability of economy and politics in Afghanistan and international sanctions against the Taliban government by external key organizations. Despite these difficulties, Kabul and Islamabad both have shown interest in keeping economic ties, that is through trade routes and different transit agreements. However, it is difficult to maintain economic cooperation with issues such as border closure and tariff disputes. In 2022, the frequent closure of the Chaman and Torkham border crossings due to security concerns impacted bilateral trade and local economies.
- ✓ Internal and regional stability concerns:
Pakistan has expressed its deepest concerns over the Taliban’s capacity to maintain stability and govern Afghanistan effectively. The potential for Afghan land to become a haven for fundamentalist groups or a source of regional instability worries not only Pakistan but other neighbouring countries as well. These concerns are compounded by the lack of international recognition of the Taliban as a government, which not only hampers efforts to engage on diplomatic and economic forums. Pakistan has supported Kabul for a more inclusive government, fearing that the Taliban-led administration or government may not be able to prevent the state from diving into chaos.
Critical Analysis
It highlights the complexities of regional security, diplomatic challenges and economic interdependence. Pakistan, with the Taliban’s return, initially hoped for strategic leverage related to the issues of cross-border militancy, the refugee crisis and unresolved border disputes, but they strained ties. The Taliban government’s inability to curb terrorist activities against Islamabad, particularly by the TTP, became a critical security dilemma that forced Pakistan to reassess its policy approach. Additionally, instability and trust deficits hindered trade potential in the economic sector, which prevented meaningful cooperation. Both nations must engage in constructive dialogue, develop economic ties, and prioritize border security to ensure regional stability and move ahead successfully.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this bilateral relationship remains a web of missed opportunities and shared challenges since 2021. Despite deep ethnic, historical and cultural ties, mutual distrust continues to overshadow areas of cooperation, especially in security and economic domains. The future of this relationship depends on addressing these lingering issues through sustained dialogue, regional cooperation and security collaboration, which are essential for long-term prosperity and stability in both nations.
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