The so-called ‘Durand Line of 1893 was imposed on Afghanistan by the British-Indian administration through an agreement under which the areas of Chagai, Baluchistan, New Chaman and Waziristan were ceded to British-India. This is regarded by Afghans as the most horrendous blow that Afghanistan has ever been dealt by the then-colonial power. Continued occupation of Afghan land by Pakistan has been a travesty which has rendered Afghanistan crippled and landlocked. This has deprived Afghanistan of its most vital means of economic sustainability, rapid economic growth and prosperity through the autonomous control of its trade route. Recent studies indicate that a landlocked country, due to its geographical constraints, experiences 0.7 % slower economic growth than other countries. Despite the gains that the international trading system has brought, the landlocked developing countries remain marginalized. Landlocked developing countries’ share of world trade remains miniscule, accounting for only 0.57 percent of the total exports and 0.64 percent of the total imports of the world’s merchandise in 2003. Geographical realities coupled with a lack of critical transport infrastructure and additional border crossings entailing complex procedures continue to pose significant impediments to trade for land-locked developing countries. There is little doubt that without real solutions to the disadvantages that beset Afghanistan as a land-locked country, it will be driven to the outer fringes of the global economy. Afghanistan being mostly dependent on Pakistan for its imports and exports is the greatest victim of this geographical disadvantage imposed on it by Pakistan, which has always remained hostile to Afghanistan causing tremendously high transit costs. As a result the economic growth of Afghanistan is totally constrained. The consequences of this brutal economic suffering have now emerged in the form of extreme backwardness which has de-stabilised Afghanistan. It is very important to understand that the continuing occupation of the Pashtun tribal areas and the Afghan historical territory has caused irreparable damage to the unity and prosperity of Afghanistan. The splitting of tribal Pashtun areas and its people against their democratic will and annexation of their legitimate territory, once called by the British ‘the nation beyond the Indus’, is an unacceptable and outrageous contravention of international law and human rights in the 21st century. The international community needs to look into this matter without prejudice or myopia. It is high time that Afghanistan’s annexed territory be returned. This move is not only imperative for Afghan economic stability but it is essential and of paramount importance for the international community in the war against terror. This move will guarantee the stability, survival and sustainability of Afghanistan as well as the total and complete defeat of Al-Qaeda in the region. That will also bring an end to Islamic, fanatical extremism and militancy in this part of the world and will bring economic prosperity not only for Afghanistan but to the region and the US and Europe. We strongly believe that the people of both free and occupied territories of Afghanistan as well as most of the countries of the region will support this military and political move of the U.S. and European community, which is the only strategic solution to the conflict in the region. Redefining of the boundaries of Afghanistan will ensure Afghanistan’s access to the sea and will enable military operations by the coalition forces against Al-Qaeda and the Taliban in Quetta and Waziristan.
Posted on: Thu, 02 Oct 2014 20:16:53 +0000
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