Pakistan, desiring peaceful coexistence and following a policy of appeasement to keep its western border calm, never made territorial claims or instigated unrest in Afghanistan. However, during the Afghan Jihad in the 1980s, Afghan Pashtuns developed closeness with Pakistan, while non-Pashtun Afghans leaned towards Iran and India. The 20 years of the war on terror intensified animosity, with India exploiting the situation to foster deep-rooted hatred among Afghan Pashtuns against Pakistan.
RAW used subversion and indoctrination, similar to strategies employed in former East Pakistan, interior Sindh, interior Baluchistan, and KP/FATA. Iran fueled sectarianism to increase its influence in western and central Afghanistan. The wars in Afghanistan solidified the bond between Afghan and Pakistani Pashtuns, creating a nexus between TTA and the anti-Pakistan TTP.
Despite hosting millions of Afghan refugees since 1979, Pakistan’s bold stance supporting the Mujahideen’s covert war against the USSR, and facilitating the Taliban’s regroupment, Kabul seems to have forgotten Pakistan’s contributions. India, initially siding with the Soviets, later played a significant role in destabilizing the region by supporting the TTP and promoting movements like Greater Baluchistan and Greater Pashtunistan.
India’s objectives included isolating Pakistan, denuclearizing it, straining regional relations, undermining Gwadar, connecting Chahbahar with Afghanistan and Central Asia, and posing a military threat to Pakistan. Even after the exit of western forces and RAW, Pakistan’s western border remains insecure due to the availability of sophisticated weapons left behind, external funding, safe havens in Afghanistan, and the role of refugees and handlers.
