(Af-pak relations- Notes)

[afzaliffi]

source Dawn Newspaper:-
from article "Goodwill strategy"
By Moazzam Husain

Durand Line

Afghanistan was the only country in the UN system to not recognise Pakistan. Successive Afghan governments refused to recognise the Durand Line.
Then, in 1994 came our opportunity to even up. Mullah Omar, leading an obscure force calling itself the Taliban, punished an Afghan warlord by hanging for the rape of two minor girls. The body was left for two days, strung up from the gun of a tank. Mullah Omar became an instant hero and Pakistan dumped Gulbuddin Hekmatyar.

It wasn’t long before ISI’s operatives penetrated Mullah Omar’s force. Based on a quick-gap analysis this ragtag force was reinforced with madressah-trained cadres from Pakistan. Next the Taliban were trained in mobile guerilla warfare and equipped with 4 by 4 pickups with mounted missile launchers. Within two years, Afghanistan was overrun.

Now came the time for the Pakistanis to cash the investment. True to Afghan style, Mullah Omar refused to accept the Durand Line. Neither could Pakistani trucks roll across to Central Asia nor indeed could the gas pipeline from Turkmenistan be stretched across. It was clear that Pakistan’s investment had gone sour.

Then came 9/11.

As Kabul fell to the Northern Alliance and Pakistan made the U-turn its options further diminished. So today with all options closed what are we left with?