Durand Line

The Durand Line is a significant international border between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

It serves as a boundary that separates several Pakistani provinces from the northeastern and southern provinces of Afghanistan. Specifically, the line demarcates Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, and the contested region of Gilgit-Baltistan from Afghan territory. The western end of this boundary runs toward the border with Iran. The eastern end reaches toward the border with China. Because of its complex history, many people describe it as one of the most dangerous borders in the world.

The establishment of this line was a diplomatic effort to manage regional influence. In 1893, Mortimer Durand acted as a British diplomat for the Indian Civil Service. He met with Abdur Rahman Khan, the Emir of Afghanistan, to reach an agreement. Their goal was to fix the limits of their respective spheres of influence. They also wanted to improve trade and diplomatic relations between their territories. The resulting single-page agreement was dated 12 November 1893. It contained seven short articles, including a commitment to avoid interference beyond the line. At that time, Britain considered Afghanistan an independent state, even though Britain controlled its foreign affairs.

Marking the physical border was a massive task that required many years of work.

A joint British-Afghan demarcation survey began in 1894. Between March 1894 and May 1896, workers delimited and demarcated 800 miles of the boundary. For much of the long stretch from the Kabul River to China, the line followed a watershed ridgeline. A watershed is a high ridge that divides different river systems. This meant the line was defined by the natural shape of the mountains. The section near the Khyber Pass was not finally demarcated until 1921. Later, a small adjustment was made at Arundu in the early 1930s.

The region has been inhabited by many groups for thousands of years.

The indigenous Pashtun people have lived here since at least 500 BC. The Greek historian Herodotus mentioned a people called Pactyans living in the area during the 1st millennium BC. In the 7th century, Arab Muslims conquered the area and introduced Islam. The Baloch tribes inhabit the southern end of the line in the Balochistan region. Over time, many different empires controlled these lands. These included the Ghaznavid Empire, the Mughals, and the Durranis.

Political changes in the 20th century shifted how the border was managed. The line was established during the end of the "Great Game," a rivalry between Britain and Russia. This made Afghanistan a buffer zone between these two powers. The line also changed local control. It gave Asmar and the valley up to Chanak to Afghanistan. However, Kabul gave up claims to Waziristan and Chageh. The line was slightly modified by the Anglo-Afghan Treaty of 1919. When Pakistan gained independence in 1947, it inherited the Durand Line from the British.

Despite its status, the Durand Line remains a subject of intense dispute. Pakistan views the line as an internationally recognized border. However, many Pashtun nationalists in Afghanistan do not recognize it. Former Afghan president Daoud Khan strongly opposed the border. In August 1976, Pakistani Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto proposed a deal. He suggested that if Afghanistan recognized the line, he would pardon certain political leaders. While Daoud Khan expressed willingness to recognize the border, negotiations stalled. This happened after Bhutto was overthrown in 1977 and Daoud Khan was overthrown in 1978. The new PDPA government in Afghanistan took a hardline stance, claiming territory up to the Indus River.

The Durand Line connects to broader ideas of international law and geography. Pakistan relies on the principle of *uti possidetis juris*. This is a legal rule where new states inherit the borders of the colonial territories they replace. This principle is used by many nations to maintain stability. However, the border also affects how people live and move. Historically, the British connected their side of the line to the North Western State Railway. This helped shift the orientation of some local groups toward British India. Today, the line remains a central part of the geopolitical landscape in South and Central Asia.