Pakistan has recently taken a strong stance against its northwestern neighbor by ordering the expulsion of illegal Afghanis who have been residing in Pakistan for over 40 years. Despite this move, the interim government faces criticism, with concerns raised about the potential negative outcomes for the country. Some argue that if Afghanistan maintains good relations with other neighbors, India, Middle Eastern Muslim countries, and other Muslim nations, the strained relationship with Pakistan must be due to faulty policies on the part of Islamabad.
Historically, Afghan rulers propagated the idea that regions like NWFP, FATA, and Pashtun-heavy parts of Baluchistan were part of Afghanistan. Some political and religious parties in Pakistan, as well as India, supported the Pakhtunistan movement. This hostility led to waves of Baloch insurgents seeking independence finding refuge in Kabul, with insurgencies actively supported.
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.
