Pakistan and Afghanistan Tussle over Durand Line

The Durand Line (DL), which separates Pakistan from Afghanistan, is home to the Pashtuns on both sides of the border. Afghanistan has continuously rejected the Durand Line and upheld the right to self-determination for Pashtuns included within Pakistan by that line since 1947. Pakistan denies this claim, upholding the legality of the Durand Line, and considers the Afghan claim illegal under international law. Although it has been the official border between the two countries for more than a century, the Durand Line has been controversial for the local people. Pakistan has been pursuing an ambiguous policy towards Afghanistan and the international community for a long time. This article examines the implications of the Durand Line and highlights the strategies of both Pakistan and Afghanistan. The present study employs doctrinal research and is limited to the positions of Afghanistan and Pakistan over the Durand Line.