It is a judicious truism, “Friends may change but not neighbors”. Pakistan and Afghanistan are century old neighbors. Nevertheless, their history records many ups and downs in mutual relations. The Durand line, bone of discontent has served one of the underlying reasons, eroding the trust and confidence in this relation. The Durand Line is the 1893 British-mandated border between the two countries. It is recognized by Pakistan, but not by Afghanistan. Presently this border has turned into save havens for militants and terrorists seeking covert and overt backings.

But relations between the South Asian neighbors have been marked by decades of distrust and outbreak of fighting. Last September, Afghanistan sent extra troops and artillery to the border with Pakistan as tensions rose over a spate of cross-border shelling that allegedly killed dozens of Afghan civilians.

A new strain between the two countries surfaced subsequent to Pakistan’s installment of a security gate inside Afghanistan on the Durand Line near Goshta district of eastern Nangarhar province. Subsequently, another wave of shelling and counter shelling along the border from two sides took place. The worrisome incident claimed lives of two Afghan border policeman wounding two Pakistani soldiers in an exchange of fire along the border, in Mohmand agency. 

Afghan officials accuse Pakistan of having a long history of supporting Afghanistan’s Taliban and other insurgent factions. Pakistan has in turn accused Afghanistan of giving safe haven to Pakistani militants on the Afghan side of the border.

Recently, Afghan President Hamid Karzai blamed Pakistan of pressurizing Afghanistan for the recognition of controversial Durand line as the formal border between the two nations by creating issues including construction of border gates and other military installations which he turned down. Whilst, the United States wants Pakistan to help Afghanistan to coax the Taliban to the negotiating table ahead of the withdrawal of most NATO combat troops by the end of 2014.

There are several genuine issues; both countries are facing with exception to border problems listed as unrelenting terrorism, bad governance, corruption etc. The current state of affairs will likely disturb Afghanistan’s already shaky ties with Pakistan amid international community’s efforts to persuade Pakistan to help Afghan peace process.

It is precious moments the two neighbors work out an agreed solution to all serious problems including the border problem. Both are required to work strengthening border coordination and also jointly work for installing durable peace. The two countries having cultural and social ties must ease free trade and bridge relationship by encouraging people to people contact.