Durand Line erupts again: A 132-year-old bitter legacy fuels new Afghanistan-Pakistan conflict

In a dramatic escalation of cross-border hostilities, Afghanistan on October 12 claimed that its forces killed 58 Pakistani soldiers and captured 25 military outposts in overnight operations along the Durand Line — the historically contested boundary that separates the two nations. 

The Taliban government’s chief spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said the operations were a response to repeated “violations of Afghanistan’s territory and airspace” by Pakistan. He added that Taliban forces had seized several Pakistani military positions across Kunar and Helmand provinces, killing 58 soldiers and wounding 30 others. 

Earlier this week, Afghan officials accused Pakistan of carrying out airstrikes on Kabul and a market in eastern Afghanistan — allegations Islamabad has neither confirmed nor denied. The situation marks one of the most serious military flare-ups since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, threatening to inflame long-standing tensions over the Durand Line. 

The Durand Line: A boundary born of British Empire 

The Durand Line, stretching roughly 2,640 km (1,640 miles), was established in 1893 following an agreement between Sir Mortimer Durand, the then Foreign Secretary of British India, and Amir Abdur Rahman Khan, the ruler of Afghanistan. The line was intended to define the spheres of influence between British India and Afghanistan, effectively splitting ethnic Pashtun and Baloch communities between the two sides. 

The agreement — formalised through the Durand Agreement of 1893 — was meant to last for a century, but Afghanistan has consistently rejected it as a legitimate international border. When Pakistan was created in 1947, it inherited the boundary from British India, but Kabul refused to recognise it, arguing that the line unfairly divided tribal populations and was imposed under duress. 

Implementation of the Durand Line was enforced through a series of colonial and postcolonial administrative measures. Despite efforts by both sides to regulate cross-border movement, the boundary has remained porous, serving as a corridor for migration, trade, and militancy. 

Significance & Geopolitical impact 

The Durand Line is not just a line on a map — it represents one of South Asia’s most enduring geopolitical fault lines. For Pakistan, it marks the internationally recognised frontier essential to its sovereignty and security. For Afghanistan, however, it symbolises lost territory and historical injustice. 

The dispute has had profound implications for regional stability: 

• Ethnic divide: The line split the Pashtun population, creating lasting ethnic and political tensions that have fueled insurgencies on both sides. 

• Security challenges: The porous border has allowed militant groups, including the Pakistani Taliban (TTP), to move freely, complicating counterterrorism efforts. 

• Diplomatic strain: Successive Afghan governments — including the Taliban regime — have refused to formally recognise the Durand Line, keeping relations with Islamabad tense. 

• Economic disruption: Cross-border trade has often been disrupted by military skirmishes, hurting local economies dependent on trans-frontier movement. 

Flashpoint that refuses to fade 

Analysts warn that the latest clashes underscore the volatile legacy of the Durand Line, where historical grievances and modern-day security concerns intersect. With both nations now led by governments under domestic and international pressure, the risk of miscalculation looms large. 

“The Durand Line has always been more than a border — it’s a symbol of identity, sovereignty, and mistrust,” said a South Asia analyst. “Until both sides find a political framework to manage it, such flare-ups will continue to destabilise the region.” 

Afghanistan continues to seek the return of Pashtun territories as well as Balochistan, which would provide it with access to the Arabian Sea. The Durand Line remains a matter of contention between Afghanistan and Pakistan, and the latter’s construction of a fence at the border, starting in 2017, led to increased hostilities.

As the recent flareup over the rugged frontier threatens to spill over into a larger conflict, the ghosts of an imperial past continue to shape the destinies of Afghanistan and Pakistan — two nations still divided by a line drawn more than a century ago.