The relationship between the countries of Pakistan and Afghanistan is shaped by culture, history and persistent political tensions. Although both share common Islamic identity and also share a common Pashtun culture across borders, there have been several instances due to which the two States struggle to maintain stable relations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This article explores the situation of Afghan refugees, harassment and stereotypes against them. The forced cultivation of poppy which led to Afghanistan becoming a major source for opium production, the Pashtun culture and how it was weaponised which caused instability in Afghanistan and the forced mass deportation which the Afghan refugees are still suffering from. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The tensions between the two countries are not only at the diplomatic level but also concern the lives of the public making it a deeply humanitarian concern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Durand Line is the disputed border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. The roots of this conflict had been sown during the British rule when Sir Henry Mortimer Durand, a British diplomat of the Indian Civil Service reached an agreement with their installed ruler Abdur Rahman Khan reached an agreement to create the Durand Line border in 1893. This was opposed by many Afghans who viewed the decision as impractical as it divided the Pashtun community geographically. After independence, Pakistan continued to consider this as an official international border, however the Afghans opposed this, they argued that since this decision was taken during the British colonial rule, it was null and void. The Durand border is an issue that has bothered the Afghans since its inception. It has frequently been brought up and the failure of both the countries to resolve this dispute has strained their relations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pakistan invoked the Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan (IFRP) in 2023 and has been on a repatriation drive since. The deportations have intensified since the relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have deteriorated. According to the data of UNHCR, more than 1.15 million Afghans have been sent back to Afghanistan in the year 2025. The noticeable pattern is that major border-crossings like Torkham and Chaman have always been closed whenever tensions between these two countries have escalated. However, special visas were still granted in cases such as medical emergencies, but since 2025 that has been suspended by Pakistan as well. Consequently, this leaves the civilians distressed as their daily activities are affected. Trade and businesses, labourers, critically-ill patients and many others have had to suffer the costs of these decisions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Such measures being taken by the Pakistani authorities are in sharp contrast to their earlier approach towards Afghan refugees where they provided humanitarian assistance during the Soviet invasion under the banner of \u2018Islamic brotherhood\u2019. The enforcement of such policies reflect the strained Pakistan-Afghanistan relations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pashtunwali is a sacred tribal code of the Pashtun community. It includes cordial principles that represent qualities like hospitality, honour and protection. It is seen all over the world that the tribal communities hold their culture close to their heart and mostly abide by it under any circumstances. Same was the case with Pashtuns and their commitment to Pashtunwali. However, this code of conduct was manipulated by Zia-ul Haq\u2019s government to militarise the Afghan refugee population.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Pashtuns are a tribal community who live along the Durand line, in southern and eastern Afghanistan and northwestern Pakistan and follow an unwritten centuries old tribal code of ethics called the Pashtunwali which they hold very sacred to themselves. The theme central to Pashtunwali or the \u2018way of the Pashtun\u2019 is \u2018nang\u2019 which translated to honour. This honour is rooted in \u2018zan\u2019 (women), \u2018zar\u2019 (wealth) and \u2018zameen\u2019 (land) and the responsibility to uphold this honour is upon the man. This expectation arises from the age-old narrative that men are supposed to be the protectors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Core tenets of the Pashtunwali are \u2018melmastia\u2019 – hospitality and \u2018nanawatai\u2019 – offering shelter and protection. Alongside these cordial principles, they also believe in \u2018badal\u2019 that is, revenge. When crimes occur, revenge is seen as the correct measure to serve justice and restore one\u2019s honour and the feud between families can last for generations. However, the culture aims more towards addressing the grievances of victims rather than promoting further conflict. \u2018Badal\u2019 can also mean exchange where two men marry each others sisters. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Melmastia refers to the welcoming and protection of guests and this attribute is directly linked to the prestige of a Pashtun among the tribesmen. This means that the more hospitable a Pashtun man is, the more respected he is in the society. It is expected that the Pastun man should offer protection even to his deadly enemy if he shows up to his doorstep and by forgiving him he demonstrates magnanimity which enhances his power and prestige and thereby his influence. Nanawatai promotes the safeguarding the life of an individual evan at the cost of one\u2019s own life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
These values of \u2018melmastia\u2019 and \u2018nanawatai\u2019 demonstrate that the act of opening borders to the Afghan refugees by the tribals when Soviet troops invaded in 1979 was not merely a political act, but to them it was their sacred duty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Pashtuns are an ethnic group that share a common cultural identity. At the same time, they are also Islamic and that identity connects them to the Muslims beyond their tribe as well. The Pakistani government under Zia-ul-Haq presented the Afghan war as a religious struggle against the Soviet supported communist government as it promoted atheism. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As stated earlier, the Pashtuns already followed the values of hospitality and offering shelter and protection as they held them sacred. These values of \u2018melmastia\u2019 and \u2018nanawatai\u2019 were exploited by the then Pakistani government. The people were made to feel that it was their religious obligation to help Afghanistan. The Afghans were already furious with the Soviet intervention and Pashtuns held a strong sense of honour and drive to protect their homeland. Pakistan simply exploited these pre-existing sentiments and militarised the Afghan refugee population by facilitating recruitment and training along with CIA which indirectly controlled everything by providing weapons and funds to Pakistan. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Soviet invasion in 1979 led to the intervention of Pakistan and the US, which transformed Afghanistan into a battleground for proxy war against the Soviet Union. However, while serving their respective political aims, Afghanistan suffered as radical Islamist militant organizations emerged and the State was turned into a Narco-War economy. These organizations were funded by the CIA and aided by Pakistan, which strengthened these groups and increased the instability in Afghanistan. This militarization of Afghanistan is a major determinant of its resentment against Pakistan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Operation Cyclone was one of the most expensive covert operations ever undertaken. It was launched by the United States to secretly fund the training of Anti-Soviet Islamist militant groups. Rather than directly aiding these groups, Pakistan\u2019s ISI facilitated the distribution of weapons, organized training and even let them establish camps inside their country. Since Pakistan was the one to finally distribute the aids given by US, it was in their hands to decide who benefits the most from those, and they chose to grant most of it to radical Islamist organizations. From $20-30 million in 1980 annually, the funding grew to $630 million in 1987 annually, an approximate estimate. As Pakistan was US\u2019s frontline ally, it also received economic aid and military assistance as reward including the 40 F-16 fighter aircraft. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, for their personal gain, the US along with the support of Pakistan aided Islamist militant groups- the Mujahideens and provided the perfect conditions to give birth to Taliban. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In present day, Pakistan is frustrated with the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan carrying out terrorist strikes in their country. They blame Afghanistan for not supporting Pakistan in this when their country has always supported the Taliban. Afghanistan counters this stance by saying that they supported them to strengthen their relations with the US. Pakistan got billions of dollars worth of military and economic aid to support Mujahideens and oppose the USSR. So, such a move was strategic and not out of altruism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Along with violence, the Soviet- Afghan war also created an unstable political environment and economic system which made it conducive for poppy cultivation. Taliban also initially promoted poppy cultivation as it helped to raise money for Afghan resistance and fight against the Northern Alliance. Armed groups pressured the farmers to grow poppy and pay taxes to help fund for arms and ammunitions. Eventually, even the farmers began to depend on it for survival and no other alternate was as alluring since poppy and opium cultivation paid much more than any other cash crop. This was one more reason as to why later attempts to curb opium production failed repeatedly since it also became imperative to the practical standard of living for the people to earn. After the US invasion in Afghanistan in October 2001, opium cultivation resurfaced and Afghanistan became one of the leading global sources of raw material production for heroin.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To escape challenges like economic hardships and war-like situations, many Afghans migrated to Pakistan in the late 1970s. Many of them lack official documentation since Pakistan has no legal framework protecting the rights of these refugees. Since there is no institutional system protecting them, these refugees face discrimination and harassment. The refugee population also suffers from high dropout rates from schools and discrimination in healthcare facilities as well. Since Pakistan has implemented the Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan, lakhs of Afghans have been forced to return to Afghanistan and this plan violates refugee and international human rights law. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pakistanis have also been referring to the refugees as \u201cillegal migrants\u201d and blame them for the increase in militant attacks. Pakistan had aided in the creation of Taliban in Afghanistan during the time of Soviet invasion. Then the chickens finally came home to roost and Pakistan had to face attacks by the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP). TTP is a terrorist organization and includes various tribal and non-tribal military groups. It has tried to unnerve civilians and disempower the Pakistani government by various violent methods such as open firing on unarmed crowds, targeting government officials, politicians, bombings and suicide attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The government not only criticized these attacks and took steps towards counterterrorism, but also conducted a migration crackdown which signifies that these refugees were seen as \u2018foreign\u2019 and were being discriminated against. This also became a safe escape for the politicians, who for any internal disturbance or economic crises turned towards these refugees and blamed them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n