“Afghanistan And Pakistan: Brothers Or Rivals? A Historical Perspective”

The long and complicated relationship between Pakistan and Afghanistan has once again taken a violent turn in 2025. What was once described as a “brotherly bond” has now turned into a tense standoff marked by border clashes, political blame, and regional uncertainty. To understand the roots of this conflict and explore the road to peace, it is essential to look at the history, current realities, and future possibilities.

⚔️ The Current Situation: What’s Happening and Why?

In recent months, tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have escalated sharply along the Durand Line, the 2,640-kilometer border dividing the two nations.
Both sides have accused each other of cross-border attacks and sheltering armed groups. Pakistan claims that militants are entering from Afghan territory to target its security forces, while Afghanistan argues that Pakistan’s military operations violate its sovereignty.

But the truth behind this is that Pakistan gave shelter to Afghan citizens. During the war, for 20 years, Pakistan allowed these Afghan citizens to do business in Pakistan, build houses, and travel to other countries on Pakistani passports. But these unholy Afghans, along with anti-national elements, started attacking Pakistani security forces, as a result of which many Pakistani security forces were martyred. Now Pakistan has started the process of expelling all these Afghan citizens from Pakistan, so Afghanistan has now fallen into India’s trap, just because Pakistan has started expelling Afghan citizens from Pakistan, which is also becoming a cause of Pakistan’s disrepute. All over the world, these same Afghan citizens are committing heinous crimes on Pakistani passports, which is also creating problems for Pakistani citizens in foreign countries. This is why Afghanistan has started all this drama.

The situation worsened when armed skirmishes erupted near border areas like Chaman and Torkham, forcing hundreds of civilians to flee their homes. Both governments exchanged diplomatic protests, and social media on both sides amplified the hostility.

Behind the violence lies a deeper struggle over security, sovereignty, and political control in the region.

📜 A Troubled History: From Brotherhood to Rivalry

The conflict between Pakistan and Afghanistan did not start overnight. It dates back to the creation of Pakistan in 1947, when Afghanistan was the only country that voted against Pakistan’s admission to the United Nations. The reason? Kabul never accepted the Durand Line drawn by the British in 1893, which divided Pashtun tribes between the two nations.

During the Cold War era, Pakistan and Afghanistan found themselves on opposite sides. Pakistan aligned with the United States, while Afghanistan leaned toward the Soviet Union. The 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan completely changed the region’s dynamics — Pakistan became a front-line ally of the U.S., hosting millions of Afghan refugees and supporting the Afghan Mujahideen.

When the Taliban rose to power in the 1990s, Pakistan was among the first countries to recognize their government. However, after the 9/11 attacks and the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, Islamabad faced global pressure to join the war on terror, once again shifting alliances.

Thus, for over seven decades, the two countries have moved through cycles of brotherhood, distrust, and confrontation, shaped by global politics and regional rivalries.

🔥 The Durand Line: The Border That Divides:

At the heart of the current conflict lies the Durand Line. Afghanistan has never formally recognized this line as the international border, claiming it unfairly divides ethnic Pashtun tribes.
Pakistan, on the other hand, considers it a settled boundary, inherited legally from British India.

In recent years, Pakistan has fenced more than 90% of its border to stop illegal crossings and militant movements. However, Afghanistan sees this fencing as a symbol of separation between families and tribes that have lived together for centuries. Each border clash reignites the historical debate over legitimacy and identity.

💣 Modern Challenges: Militancy, Politics, and Propaganda

The return of the Taliban to power in Afghanistan in 2021 raised both hope and fear in Pakistan. Many believed it would bring stability and cooperation, but instead, the presence of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) — a militant group based inside Afghanistan — reignited conflict.

Pakistan accuses the Taliban government of allowing TTP militants to operate freely, while Kabul denies these claims. Meanwhile, social media wars have added fuel to the fire, spreading misinformation and deepening public resentment on both sides.

Economic hardship, political instability, and foreign interference make it even harder for either side to find common ground.

🌍 Regional and Global Implications:

The Pakistan-Afghanistan conflict is not just a local issue; it affects the entire South and Central Asian region.

• China worries about instability spreading to its Belt and Road projects.

• Iran is concerned about refugee flows and border security.

• Gulf countries fear that prolonged tension could disrupt trade routes and regional peace efforts.

For global powers, the conflict creates a new layer of complexity in an already volatile region, especially as the world’s attention shifts away from Afghanistan after the U.S. withdrawal.

🤝 The Path to Peace: Is Reconciliation Possible?

Despite the bloodshed and mistrust, peace between Pakistan and Afghanistan is not impossible. History shows that both nations have shared culture, language, faith, and trade for centuries. What’s needed is mutual recognition of sovereignty and a commitment to dialogue.

Here are a few key steps toward stability:

1. Reviving diplomatic channels — Both governments must keep communication open instead of relying on social media narratives.

2. Joint border management — Cooperation in policing the border can reduce infiltration and misunderstanding.

3. Economic cooperation — Trade routes through Pakistan can help Afghanistan rebuild its economy, creating mutual benefit.

4. Cultural and youth exchanges — Building people-to-people trust can heal divisions faster than politics ever could.

The world must also support these efforts through neutral mediation and humanitarian assistance, rather than taking sides.

💬 Public Voices and Hope for the Future

Many ordinary Pakistanis and Afghans still believe that peace is possible. Social media may highlight hate, but thousands of users on both sides also share messages of brotherhood and solidarity. Families divided by borders still stay connected, and business communities continue to push for cooperation.

This shows that while politics divides, human bonds remain strong.

🌿 Conclusion: Learning From the Past to Build the Future

The Pakistan-Afghanistan conflict is a tragic reminder of how history, politics, and geography can trap nations in cycles of mistrust. But it’s also a lesson that peaceful coexistence is achievable when both sides choose diplomacy over aggression.

The border may divide land, but it should never divide hearts.
True progress in South Asia depends not on who wins the next battle — but on who chooses peace first.

✨ “Peace is not a choice; it is the only path forward for both nations.”