Abstract:
Despite having geographic and demographic contiguity, bilateral relations
between Afghanistan and Pakistan ever since their inception have been uneasy at
best. This paper encompasses a historical review of AfPak relations over the last
60-odd years; taking into account the Afghan disdain for the Durand Lineviewed as a colonial legacy bequeathed unjustly upon Pakistan- and subsequent
developments which have further problematised the border issue, foreign power
play in the regional context, the wide-ranging ramifications of Soviet-Afghan war
for the neighbouring states, and the larger trust deficit between Afghanistan and
Pakistan that regimented itself in the wake of this sequence of events. This
chronological exposition, coupled with an account of the current political
climate in Afghanistan, paves the way for policy recommendations for Pakistan.
