When Afghanistan Tried To Invade Pakistan

Whenever Afghan-Pakistan relations are discussed usually the focus will be on the series of issues that took place after 1979, often starting at the Soviet Afghan war time when Pakistan along with the US started assisting the Mujahedeen to force the Soviet influence out from the region. The talk then transfers to Taliban and how Pakistan interferes inside Afghanistan. But intentionally or even un intentionally the tense Pakistan-Afghan history from 1947-1979 time frame is often ignored which is filled with a 26-year long proxy war started  by the ethnically motivated Afghan government in the name of Pashtunistan (1947-73). They tried to create separatist forces with in and trapped Pakistan in a geological struggle to maintain its structural integrity. 

Early time period context 

The Afghan government for the most part in recent history has been dominated by highly ethnically driven Pashtun centered nationalists and this has had direct impact on the behavior of Afghan policy makers when while Pakistan. When the Indian subcontinent was divided after British rule in 1947 due to the success of diplomatic efforts for independence, India and Pakistan were created. Meanwhile the internationally recognized border was established between Afghanistan and Pakistan which became known as the Durand line. This meant that the province of KPK (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) was now an internationally recognized part of Pakistan, but this was an arrangement not acceptable by the Afghan government. Rejecting the reality of the new border Afghanistan as a country became the only opposing entity that voted against Pakistan in becoming a member of the United Nations.

Durand Line recognition 

Due to the ethnic Pashtun nationalist nature of the Afghan government, it had outright rejected to accept the Durand lines legitimacy. The Afghans have always hated the fact that ethnically Pashtun majority province of  (KPK) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and some areas of Baluchistan were now part of Pakistan. Hence, it had become a long-term obsession and goal of Afghan government to forcefully capture the land (KPK) on historical and ethnic grounds, stating that the British empire had taken those lands and hence rea borderlines must be returned. Leaving aside the ethnic and historical reasons, the Afghans also had a practically motivated reason to acquire that land. As a land-locked nation acquiring those areas (Especially the Baluchistan sectors)will grant Afghanistan access to the Arabian sea which can allow Afghanistan to secure its long-term economic goals of exports. However, due to continuous efforts of the Qaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Islamic unity policy, the people of KPK had developed a sense of united Pakistani nationalism and the Pakistan's government had clearly expressed no compromise on structural unity. Seeing this the Afghan government foreign policy towards Pakistan became increasingly anti-Pakistani in its nature which resulted in numerous hostile actions. The main purpose of these actions was to destabilize and break up the ethically Pashtun regions from Pakistan with usage of proxy military/militants action, create a state of "Pashtunistan" and later be absorb it into Afghanistan.

Hostile Actions by Afghan Government 

In September of 1947: Afghanistan became the only state which had voted against Pakistan’s admission in the United nations as a new member state. Pakistan was at the time a newly formed and fragile state, it was in process of getting accepted into the united nations following the foreign policy of establishing globally friendly relations. This attempt proved highly successful (For the most part) as almost all member states voted in favor of Pakistan, all but Afghanistan which refused to accept Pakistan's existence. 

Not long afterward, Afghanistan raised the Pashtunistan flag alongside Afghan national flag in Kabul. Additionally it was around that point where Afghanistan had started forming, arming, and funding its proxies based within its border areas (Afridi Sarishtas and Ipi Faqir) next to Pakistan border for the objective of causing chaos which they termed as ‘Liberation of Pashtunistan.’ This led to many cross-border skirmishes and battles between the newly reformed Pakistan FC paramilitary forces and Afghan proxy militants.

The Waves of Afghan Attacks

In June of 1949: According to some official sources while hunting down Afghan militants who had attacked Pakistani border posts and ran deeper into Afghan territory, a PAF plane unintentionally bombed an Afghan village of “Moghulgai” which is next to the Afghan-Waziristan border. This event further intensified tensions on the border areas and soon after more Afghan militants started crossing the mostly  unmonitored Pak-Afghan border into Pakistan.

In July of 1949: A meeting held by Afghan government at Kabul, all partied collectively  denounced all treaties related to Afghan-Pak borderline and openly announced full support for the Pashtunistan movement and "freedom fighters" fighting for it. The 31st of August was declared as “Pashtunistan Day” which was celebrated each year sponsored by the Afghan government. Around that time Afghanistan funded proxies inside Pakistan started announcing the formation of ‘Pashtunistan’ in Tirah (Khyber district in Pakistan) and Razmak (Waziristan, Pakistan), with Ipi Faqir serving as President

First Attack

In 1950: Near the beginning of 1950, Afghan air force planes started dropping propaganda leaflets and posters in support of Pashtunistan with in Pakistani territory on the border areas. Following this afew months later the Afghan army supported by  artillery batteries suddenly attacked Dobandi area of Baluchistan province occupying a strategic pass point with the aim of separating “Chaman-Quetta” Railway links. As a response the Pakistani army mobilized and sent a contingent of troops backed by armor support. Pakistan retook all of its territory back with in a week of fighting driving the Afghan forces back into Afghanistan.

The Irregulars Attack

In 1950-51: 3 Afghan warlord-led tribal armies attacked Pakistani areas all across Durand Line border. The Afghan government immediately declared support for the tribal fighters while  referring to them as “Freedom Fighters”. The government used their official Radio for non-stop propaganda reporting in favor of the invading tribal fighters. The attacking tribal fighters militia were soon after held off at the border and eventually driven back by Pakistani Frontier Corps paramilitary forces. Enough was enough, As a response to the hostile actions, Pakistan had at that point started adopting a “go slow” approach on Afghanistan’s trade transit routes.

In October of 1951: In around the same time period of Afghan attacks the, Pakistani Prime minister Liaquat Ali Khan was assassinated in Pindi by an Afghan named Said Akbar Babrak. The Afghan government on the surface disowned his act and denied any relation but still continued financial arms and propaganda support for its proxies fighting constantly throughout the 1950s.

In March of 1955: The Pakistani diplomatic missions to Afghanistan in “Qandahar” and “Jalalabad” regions were assaulted and attacked, reportedly at the orders of Afghan government, and to further intensify relations the Pashtunistan flag was by force hoisted on the chancery of Pakistan Embassy in Kabul. 4 years later on in 1959. the then Afghan PM Sardar Daud once again openly affirmed the Afghan government support for Pashtunistan right in front of senior Pakistani officials.

Second Attack

In September of 1960: In renewed attempts of military action, Afghan army troops and irregulars forces attacked Pakistan’s border Bajaur area trying to cross deep into Pakistan territory. At that time Afghanistan army had around 70,000 reserve troops to Kunar province which borders Bajaur. This attack was initially stopped and pushed back against by Bajauri resistance fighters supported by Pakistani army special forces operative SSG deployed nearby in Chirat. Later on after seeing the bravery of the locals a new paramilitary unit "Bajour scouts" was formed and stationed with in the region to protect against any future attacks. This battle is also mentioned in the declassified US documents.

Third Attack

In March of 1961: Afghanistan started overtly activity arms and ammunition to new proxy teams lead by a notable figure named pasha Gul in Bajaur’s Batmalai region (Pakistani border) for a revived rebellion exploitation anti Pakistan Afghan immigrants. Many of their ammunition dumps were reportedly destroyed by a Pakistan air force aerial bombing operation. Two months later a vast Afghan force of thousands (Troops with armored, artillery and restricted air support.) attacked Bajaur, Jandul and Khyber areas of Pakistan in a very massive focused pincer attack. These attacks were ab initio control back by native people that took up arms with support of Pakistan Frontier Corps paramilitary and significant aerial bombing by Pakistan air force warplanes. shortly the Pakistani army forces arrived and drove the Afghans back. when the event Pakistani President Ayub warned the Afghan aspect against motiveless escalations. The skirmishes had terminated with Afghan defeat and diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Islamic State of Afghanistan were stop after Pakistan determined to limit Afghan transit trade. Diplomatic relations resumed 2 years later in 1963 when Afghan president Daud (the main engine behind Afghanistan’s state of war against Pakistan) left office. However, in Sep 1964 an Afghan elders meeting with the govt was control and another time reiterated support for Pashtunistan, causing more militants to fight in Pakistan as previous administration had done (though a lot of gently than within the past).

In 1964-1972: After all the fighting and issues relative calm in relations was observed due to Afghanistan’s internal power struggle and issues and democratic method testing (Afghanistan focused on internal issues). The Pashtunistan issue went on the backburner of Afghan policy for a while and Pak-Afghan relations normalized to such a great extent that Afghanistan remained neutral in 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pak wars, which was unexpected. 

In 1972-73: However despite all efforts of normalization, Afghanistan again restarted support for Pashtunistan movement  after intensifying Radio Kabul propaganda. It additionally started sheltering anti Pakistan activists led by Ajmal Khattak. In 1973 unprecedentedly Sardar Daud led a bloodless military coup to overthrow the at the time King Zahir Shah declaring himself President. One of the reasons for the coup was that the Zahir Shah’s was supposedly too soft on Pakistan.

In 1973: As Afghanistan restarted proxy war efforts, in response, Pakistani Prime minister Z.A.Bhutto authorized a full on tit-for-tat response. As Afghanistan was going through an internal struggle for power this was the perfect opportunity, Pakistan government decided to interfere by conspiring to remove the anti-Pakistani elements from Afghan government and install moderate or friendly elements. For this IGFC Naseerullah Babar was given the job to train dissident Afghans for proxy purposes inside Afghanistan. This reportedly was Pakistan’s first act to use proxies in Afghanistan after a Twenty Six-year long proxy war perpetrated by Afghanistan against Pakistan. 

In 1973-76: Going forward, Afghanistan resorted to using diplomatic resources to support its proxy led war by not initially participating in the OIC alliance meetings which were held in Pakistan. Later Abdul Rahman Pazhwak, an Afghan delegate at the summit, unsuccessfully tried to raise Pashtunistan talks on the unity forum too but got ignored as no country’s representatives were interested. 

In 1973-78: Soon after Daud assumed power after the blood less coup in Afghanistan, once again the Afghan government started supporting and funding the Pashtunistan proxies but this they additionally started new Baloch separatist insurgents fighting against Pakistan. According to many sources Afghanistan sheltered many of these insurgents providing them training, weapons, and monetary assistance for continuing militant activities inside Pakistan. Their activities were of course focused in areas Afghanistan claimed as its own.

In 1973-78: The nationalist driven Afghan government under leadership of Daud continued to support the Afghan backed Pashtunistan movement. It was then the NAPs newly formed militant wing ‘Pakhtun Zalmay’ operatives of which later formed the TTP (Taliban) was founded, armed  and trained by Afghan secret police for conducting terrorist activities in Pakistan. These actions were confirmed by Jumma Khan Sufi later on in his memoirs “Faraib e Na Tamam”.

In 1973-onwards: Even after all the internal issues not only has Afghanistan kept supporting NAP terrorism in Pakistan itself but  also reportedly became a hub for Indian interference and terror cells to use into Pakistan via Pashtunistan and Baluchistan separatist proxies.

There is undeniable proof that the current Afghanistan government (Which was created out of previous opposed anti Pak faction) has been continuing support for anti-Pakistan parts such as TTP and became a hub for Indian interference into Pakistan via Pashtunistan and Baluchistan proxies as Afghan and Indian governments closer from mutual ties. it had been unconcealed that NAP leaders operating in Pakistan were handsomely paid in foreign currency and had ties with Afghan and Indian intelligence cells as revealed by Jumma Khan Sufi in his writings. These networks continued their militant activities, attacks and in February 1975 Hayat Khan a senior KPK politician was killed in Associate in deadly blast. The assassination was administered by NAP militant wing conducting operations out of Afghanistan. Meanwhile In April 1978, Afghan President Daud and his whole family were massacred among the Soviet-sponsored “Saur Revolution”. The new pro-Communist Afghan regime declared support unfold of communist ideals into West Pakistani Pashtun regions and ultimately over up in support of Pashtunistan movement. Later, in December 1979, the soviet U.S.A. SS Committee for State Security dead Afghanistan’s President Hafizullah Amin and nearly 100,000 Soviet forces entered Afghanistan. The Soviets conjointly gave threats to Pakistan to not interfere or it'd support the Afghan Militants and Baloch separatists in Pakistan.

End Result

Soviet Afghan War: At this time the stance of the Pakistan regarding the regional conflict was clear. Pakistan needed an entire Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan and therefore the institution of a non-communist government which might be freed from Anti-Pak elements. thus Pakistan together with United States retaliated to the threat by supporting, training, and mobilization the fresh shaped military force against the Communist Afghan government and Soviet forces deployed with in Afghanistan (the Soviet Afghan war). Once the soviet withdrawal happened from Afghanistan and defeat of the communist government, a war arose between factions among the mujahedeen, the fighting being targeted around the Masuds alliance and Qutbuddin faction. it had been once Qutbudin’s defeat the Taliban before long arose and overtook most of Afghanistan pushing the Northern Alliance back. This was followed the 9/11 attacks by Al-Qaeda, USA country|North American nation} invasion of Afghanistan and Taliban reemergence leading to the on going fighting we have a tendency to observe today. within the finish it's Afghanistan that became divided full of a similar fate it tried to force upon Pakistan. it's hoped that American withdrawal / peace talks can come back peace with in Afghanistan, but unlikely it appears if peace is achieved the Afghan government ought to create makes an attempt to repair strained relations with Pakistan.as it'll solely be additional helpful for Afghanistan that is wealthy in natural earth resources and needs a sea route for exporting. Pakistan can offer Afghanistan access to its sea routes and assist in repairing different industries, however ever this is often only potential if the Afghan leadership is willing to ditch its ethnically nationalist blind folds.