Pakistan and Afghanistan share not only a long border but a deeper bond of faith, culture, and language. For centuries, the people of both nations have crossed mountains and markets, tied by kinship and tradition. Yet, despite this natural closeness, their state-to-state relations have remained uneasy for most of modern history. The relationship has swung between moments of hope and periods of deep mistrust, shaped by geopolitics, ideology, and external interference. When Pakistan emerged in 1947, Afghanistan became the only country to vote against its admission to the United Nations. The reason lay in Kabul’s refusal to recognise the Durand Line as the international border, a dispute that has haunted both nations ever since.
King Zahir Shah’s reign was largely neutral but never warm; his government maintained a cautious distance from Islamabad. The real rupture came under President Mohammad Daoud Khan in the 1970s, who revived the so-called “Pashtunistan” issue and gave support to separatist elements in Pakistan’s tribal areas. Islamabad, in turn, began backing Islamist Afghan groups opposed to Daoud’s regime – a policy that would echo for decades. The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 transformed Pakistan into a frontline state. Under General Zia-ul-Haq, Pakistan became the principal backer of the Afghan Mujahideen, Pakistan sheltered over 4 million Afghan refugees after 1979. We opened homes, schools, hospitals – no other country did so much for Afghanis. Despite decades of support, Afghanistan’s current rulers seem closer to our adversaries and hostile groups are using Afghan soil to attack Pakistan. That’s unacceptable. Our demand is simple no tolerance for terrorism from Afghan territory. We respect sovereignty, but Pakistan’s security comes first. War between two Muslim neighbours only helps our enemies. Pakistan wants peaceful, responsible diplomacy, not bloodshed on the border. We must seal illegal crossings, use biometric verification, and regulate movement but ensure legitimate trade and people-to-people contact continues. Pakistan’s response should be firm and precise only against militants, never against civilians. We must keep the moral and international high ground. Engage China, Gulf states, and the UN to press Kabul to stop cross-border attacks. Use diplomacy before force. We have every right to repatriate illegal residents, but must treat genuine refugees humanely and under UN supervision. Strengthen border provinces, boost trade via legal routes, and cut dependence on unpredictable Afghan cooperation. Pakistan still wants a brotherly, peaceful Afghanistan – but friendship must be two-sided. Respect, not exploitation. Pakistan has been the biggest victim of terrorism, not its sponsor. Our patience should not be mistaken for weakness. Pakistan’s policy should be “Peace with strength” – firm security, proactive diplomacy, and no compromise on national sovereignty.
When the Soviets withdrew, Pakistan hoped for a friendly government in Kabul. Instead, the Mujahideen factions fell into civil war. In 1996, the Taliban’s rise appeared to fulfil Islamabad’s long-sought desire for “strategic depth” a cooperative, religiously conservative government on its western border. Pakistan, along with Saudi Arabia and the UAE, was one of only three states to recognize the first Taliban regime. Trade and security coordination improved, and Pakistan enjoyed unprecedented influence in Kabul. However, the events of 9/11 abruptly ended this alignment. Under U.S. pressure, Pakistan severed formal ties with the Taliban and joined the international coalition, once again resetting relations. The worst has been handing over ambassador of Afghanistan in Pakistan against protocols. The post-2001 governments of Hamid Karzai and Ashraf Ghani marked a new chapter of mutual suspicion. Both leaders accused Pakistan of harbouring the Afghan Taliban, while Islamabad pointed to the presence of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in Afghan sanctuaries. Despite multiple rounds of peace talks and regional conferences, the trust deficit only widened. When the Taliban returned to power in 2021, Pakistan initially welcomed the change, expecting a friendlier regime. Yet within two years, optimism faded. The Taliban government refused to formally recognize the Durand Line, resisted Pakistan’s border fencing, and did little to curb TTP attacks launched from Afghan territory. Meanwhile, Kabul’s outreach to India further unsettled Islamabad. Today, relations stand at one of their lowest points in recent memory. Cross-border attacks have increased, trade routes have been disrupted, and diplomatic exchanges remain strained. Pakistan’s patience, long tested, is now balanced between the need to defend its sovereignty and the desire to avoid war with a Muslim neighbour. What lessons emerge from this turbulent history? First, friendship cannot rest on emotion or religious affinity alone it must be built on mutual respect, security cooperation, and clear boundaries. Second, Pakistan must pursue firm but measured diplomacy, combining border management with humanitarian care for refugees. Third, both countries must realize that continued hostility only benefits external actors who wish to keep the region unstable.
Pakistan has given much to Afghanistan looked after 4 million Afghani’s provided them shelter, support, and sacrifice. Yet it has rarely received gratitude or cooperation in return. Still, permanent hostility is not an option for two neighbours tied by geography and faith. The path forward lies in dialogue, economic interdependence, and a shared understanding that peace in Kabul means stability in Islamabad. Brotherhood must not end at the border but it must be built on trust, not illusion. But there will be no compromise on sovereignty and concession to known enemies of Pakistan. The ball is in the court of Afghanistan, it depends how they make best use of diplomacy instead resorting to war tactics. Pakistan does not want war with neighbors we are peaceful and want to maintain peace with every country with honor and dignity. Afghanistan can still win our hearts by stopping cross border terrorism.
