Behind the Fighting Between Historic Rivals Pakistan and Afghanistan: The Durand Line
Reality is the echo of history. Recently, the historic rivals of South Asia, Pakistan and Afghanistan, have once again erupted into hot warfare.
Historically, the fall of the Durrani Dynasty in Afghanistan paved the way for the British Empire's expansion into the Indian subcontinent. At the same time, the British Empire and the Russian Empire clashed in the dusty Central Asia, triggering a geopolitical competition known as "The Great Game" – referred to as "The Great Game" (The Great Game). The reason was the British Empire's fear of the Russian Empire's expansion into Central Asia, leading the former to establish a buffer zone between Afghanistan and British India. This fear stemmed from the British Empire's belief that the Russian Empire coveted its most brilliant gem – India.
Afghanistan has been known throughout history as "the graveyard of empires," and the British Empire was no exception. In the First and Second Anglo-Afghan Wars, the British Empire suffered defeats. Subsequently, the British Empire, skilled in geopolitical competition, shifted its geopolitical strategy from conquest to containment, attempting to avoid direct control over the Kingdom of Afghanistan.
In 1880, the completion of the Russian Empire's "Trans-Caspian Railway" caused extreme panic within the British Empire. The British, who had pioneered the Industrial Revolution and invented the railway, understood the economic and military value of railways. The British knew that railways would grant the Russians the ability to rapidly project significant military forces into the Kingdom of Afghanistan.
To contain the Russian Empire's southward advance and protect the British Empire's exclusive interests in India, the British recalled their "Divide and Rule" strategy, a tactic they were adept at. Thus, they established the border between Afghanistan and British India, eventually giving rise to the controversial Durand Line. The Durand Line divided the main ethnic group of Afghanistan, the Pashtuns, and became the root of tension between Pakistan and Afghanistan, turning the two countries into historic rivals.
The current Afghan ruler, the Taliban, is not the only organization to reject the legitimacy of the Durand Line; no Afghan ruler in history has ever legitimized the Durand Line.
The Taliban's denial of the Durand Line has increased the likelihood of large-scale conflicts erupting in the volatile South Asian subcontinent, with the international community, especially neighboring countries, closely watching how the situation between Pakistan and Afghanistan will further develop.
Escalation of Border Conflicts Between Pakistan and Afghanistan
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1858329472552960/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author alone.