Despite Pakistan’s attempts, the Taliban refused to recognise the Durand Line as an international border with Pakistan, showcasing Pakistan’s limited influence on the Taliban. Afghanistan–Pakistan relations have become more strained after the Afghan government began openly accusing Pakistan of using its ISI spy network in aiding the Taliban and other militants. Afghanistan has for years accused Pakistan of supporting Taliban militants. First, Pakistan’s ability to convince Afghans to work closely with Pakistan has been limited. The Taliban may be religious fanatics, but they are also a nationalist movement. The Taliban are a movement of religious students (talib) from the Pashtun areas of eastern and southern Afghanistan who were educated in traditional Islamic schools in Pakistan. From their perspective, these groups stood up to the superpowers of their time and overcame them. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings.Let our news meet your inbox. © 2019 All copyrights reserved by The Friday Times Please enter your username or email address to reset your password. The news and stories that matters, delivered weekday mornings.An Afghan security force stands guard outside a mosque before prayers during the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha, in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, on Friday. Support for the Taliban also further inspired extremism in Pakistan, perhaps an unintended consequence of Pakistan’s foreign and security policy.The Taliban, however, time and again let Pakistan down. When Pakistan asked the Taliban to honor the agreement to avoid bloodshed, the latter refused. "If the Pakistani military continues its rocket attacks on Afghan territory, they will face retaliation by the Afghan army," Afghanistan's defense ministry said in a statement.Pakistan's foreign office and military did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment, but Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi told reporters that the matter had been taken up with Afghan authorities and hoped it would be resolved amicably.Pakistan and Afghanistan are both U.S. allies but their relations have rarely been close.Afghanistan has for years accused Pakistan of supporting Taliban militants. Pakistani madrassas provided the Taliban with foot soldiers.Unlike in the 1990s, the Taliban today are neither internationally isolated nor only dependent on Pakistan for survivalThe Taliban would openly, without having to obtain visa, cross into Pakistan to seek medical treatment, visit family members, or shop. Once Baradar returns to Afghanistan, it’s hard to imagine that he’ll be pro-Pakistan, or will allow Pakistan to influence his views and actions.Fourth, unlike in the 1990s, the Taliban today are neither internationally isolated nor only dependent on Pakistan for survival. Zaeef’s memoir named My Life with the Taliban is a catalogue of grievances against Pakistan. Therefore, associating any hopes that the Taliban’s coming to power, either in a power-sharing agreement or through a complete takeover of the government, will provide Pakistan with a friendly government in Kabul is an unfounded claim.Instead of waiting for a pro-Pakistan government in Kabul, which is unlikely to happen any time soon, what Afghanistan and Pakistan need is comprehensive agreements on all of the following outstanding issues: First, the status (or repatriation) of Afghan refugees in Pakistan; second, Afghan insurgents’ presence in Pakistan and Pakistan’s concerns about anti-Pakistan insurgents’ presence in Afghanistan; third, effective border management; fourth, waters treaty regulating the use of waters from Kabul and Kunar rivers; fifth, an updated trade and transit agreement.
Without resolving these issues, relations will continue to remain tense between Kabul and Islamabad, which in turn will make it harder for a pro-Pakistan government to emerge in Kabul.
They milk America and Europe in the alliance against terrorism, and they have been deceiving Pakistani and other Muslims around the world in the name of the Kashmiri jihad. The two neighbouring countries share deep historical and cultural links; each has declared itself an Islamic republic and both have become members of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation.