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AT News Report-KABUL: The National Security Adviser (NSA), Mohammad Haneef Atmar has urged the foreign representatives in the country to support the Afghan case and understand Afghanistan’s sensitivities on national interests and historic right.
In a statement issued by his office, Atmar has called on Afghanistan’s allies and foreign diplomats in the country to avoid statements and attitudes, contradicting to Afghanistan’s national interests and valves.
He urged the foreign diplomats to respect the historic rights of Afghanistan and understand the sensitivity of the Afghan people regarding the national and historic values, including Durand Line issue.
Highlighting the Unity Government and Afghan people’s non-variable position on national interests, culture, sovereignty, territorial integrity and historic rights, including Durand Line, he said the foreign representatives must be cautious with their remarks when they express their views.
The so-called Durand Line, cuts through the Pashtun tribal areas and further south through Baluchistan region, politically dividing ethnic Pashtuns, Baluch and some other ethnic groups who live on both sides of the line. It was established between Afghanistan’s King Abdur Rehman Khan and a civil servant of British India in order to conditionally fix the limits of their respective spheres of influence and improve diplomatic relations and trade. However, Afghanistan had never been recognized it as a permanent border with Pakistan. The Afghan people were always optimistic and committed to restore their land and people across the Durand Line.
Last day, in an interview with BBC, Britain ambassador to Kabul, Nickolas Kay said, “Durand Line is an internationally recognized border between Pakistan and Afghanistan.”
He was responding to a question, if the United Kingdom was recognizing the Durand Line as permanent border between Pakistan and Afghanistan. In addition, he said Pakistan has the right to fence the Durand Line.
Britain ambassador’s remarks on Durand Line and open support to Pakistan have given birth to a wave of anger and disappointment among the Afghan masses inside Afghanistan and also Baluch populations across the Line. A large number of social users have strongly condemned the UK envoy’s remarks against the national interests of Afghanistan. The Greater Afghanistan page on Facebook wrote, “If history is guide, there is a serious need of bilateral and strategic friendship and Partnership between Afghanistan and UK.”
A civil society member and political activist, Gul Pacha said in his displayed message on Facebook account, “It is 21th century. Afghans want good relations with UK and the rest of international community to reach joint development and prosperities.”
Another civil society activist, Hazratullah Afghan said being a frontline state in war on terror, Afghanistan had been rendered highest number of sacrifices in order to bring peace and stability in the world while Pakistan thoroughly harbored and exported cross-border terrorism against innocent and civilized humanity in the region and round the globe. That’s why; London must change its policies and priorities on Pakistan.”
In the meantime, members of the Senate (Meshrano Jirga) and the rest of concerned Afghan officials and institutions have strongly condemned the UK envoy’s controversial statement on Durand Line—unauthorized and unrecognized line between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
During the Senate’s session on Sunday, a large number of Senator reminded that any decision on Durand Line has to be made by the Afghan people, urged the leadership of Unity Government to make resolute and firm position on the issue and summon the Britain envoy to lodge official complaint.
“No foreign national has the right to make statement on the matter of Durand Line, Senate Speaker, Fazk Hadi Hadi concluded.
Describing Pakistan as the breeding ground for the international terrorism, in May of the current year, European Parliament (EP) Vice President Ryszard Czarnecki (Britain) had urged the United States and European Union to revisit Durand Line to end Pakistan’s pro-terror policy.
“As long as this demarcation which was initially drawn to make areas of influence rather than as an international border, is given sanctity by the international community, Pakistan will continue to play its own great game in this area, even if it is at the cost of peace in the region,” he said.
He added Durand Line was a historical mistake, or more precisely the historic mischief, committed by the British colonial rulers by dividing the Pashtun homeland.
“The affect of instability prevailing on both sides of the Durand Line is no longer limited to the region, having now spilled over also the western world, he wrote in his opinion piece, published in ‘EP”
