Kabul protests flag-lowering ceremony at Pak-Afghan border

[Syed1]

ISLAMABAD: Kabul has protested Islamabad’s decision to start flag-lowering ceremonies at Chaman border crossing in Balochistan, describing the move as “unjustified and contrary to previous pledges”.

Frontier Corps (FC) Balochistan has announced it will hold flag-lowering ceremonies at the Pak-Afghan Friendship gate in Chaman every Friday.

The pattern of the ceremony would be similar to the flag-lowering ceremony held by Pakistan and India at the Wagah-Attari border. However, Afghanistan had refused to take part in the ceremony on the plea that it does not recognise the border and calls it “Durand Line”.

Afghan foreign ministry says it has lodged strong protest over the lowering of the flag by the Pakistani security forces at the zero-point of the “artificial Durand Line” and called it a “provocative action”.

Flag-lowering ceremony to be held every Friday at Pak-Afghan border

“The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan wants to make it clear to Pakistan that since the relations between the two countries are passing through a sensitive period, such action could further deteriorate relations and increase the mistrust,” an Afghan foreign ministry statement said on Friday.

During the first ever flag-lowering ceremony last Friday, FC Balochistan had announced it would hold the ceremonies every Friday at the Pak-Afghan Friendship gate in Chaman. Sector Commander FC North Brigadier Nadeem Sohail and Commandant FC Chaman also suggested the Afghan authorities to organise such ceremonies.

Speaking at the ceremony, Brigadier Sohail said, “Pakistan and Afghanistan are not only neighbours but they are also Muslim brotherly countries, who have a history of friendly ties”.

The Afghan foreign ministry, however, urged Pakistan to “focus on fight against terrorism and extremism instead of such actions,” which it said was the main hurdle in the way of peace and security. The ministry also opposed Islamabad’s decision to make visa compulsory for the tribesmen to visit Afghanistan and described the decision as unilateral.

http://tribune.com.pk/story/1244199/kabul-protests-flag-lowering-ceremony-pak-afghan-border/

 

[Syed1]

Afghanistan would be better served to accept the Durrand Line in its present state and try and mend relationships with Pakistan, they need to realize that majority (almost all) of their imports and exports go through Pakistan and they would have to stay in our good books if they want to survive. There is only one loser in this mindless hostility.

 

[GLORY OF '92]

Afghanistan would be better served to accept the Durrand Line in its present state and try and mend relationships with Pakistan, they need to realize that majority (almost all) of their imports and exports go through Pakistan and they would have to stay in our good books if they want to survive. There is only one loser in this mindless hostility.

Hopefully these useless people will learn to respect their betters before we need to show them.

 

[MenInG]

We should try and understand their point of view.

If a flag lowering ceremony makes them uneasy then so be it. Move on. Time to be smart about this

 

[Pakpak]

Wow, I have never seen any country whine so much. Durand line is an internationally accepted border.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Wow, I have never seen any country whine so much. Durand line is an internationally accepted border.

If they don't accept the Durand line, then what would they consider an acceptable border? Let's look at it from a neutral point of view and see if they have a case.

 

[Pakpak]

If they don't accept the Durand line, then what would they consider an acceptable border? Let's look at it from a neutral point of view and see if they have a case.

Entire KPK province would be their territory, none of whom would ever want to join them if Pakhtuns like Mamoon are any indication

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Entire KPK province would be their territory, none of whom would ever want to join them if Pakhtuns like Mamoon are any indication

On what basis should the KPK region be part of Afghanistan rather than Pakistan? Whether the residents want to join Afghanistan isn't really here or there, let's keep an open mind.

 

[CricketCartoons]

Just because some old men sitting in the capitals of the countries don't like each other, doesn't mean we should follow them.

 

[Syed1]

On what basis should the KPK region be part of Afghanistan rather than Pakistan? Whether the residents want to join Afghanistan isn't really here or there, let's keep an open mind.

The Afghanis believed that the Brits duped them and made an "artificial" border known as the Durrand Line. They think that all territory upto the Indus river is their rightful possession.


Such a situation is obviously unacceptable to Pakistan and the rest of the world (even India) recognizes Pakistan's territorial space.

 

[moghul]

India asked Afghanistan government to launch this protest, otherwise it doesn;t make any sense.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

The Afghanis believed that the Brits duped them and made an "artificial" border known as the Durrand Line. They think that all territory upto the Indus river is their rightful possession.


Such a situation is obviously unacceptable to Pakistan and the rest of the world (even India) recognizes Pakistan's territorial space.

Sorry don't know the geography that well there, how much of Pakistan would actually end up in Afghanistan? I'm assuming the FATA region, not sure what that would benefit them. If we are talking about Peshawar, I wonder what that would have looked like under Afghan hegemony?

 

[Syed1]

Sorry don't know the geography that well there, how much of Pakistan would actually end up in Afghanistan? I'm assuming the FATA region, not sure what that would benefit them. If we are talking about Peshawar, I wonder what that would have looked like under Afghan hegemony?

If everything west of Indus is under Afghan rule then all of FATA, KPK and parts of Punjab/Baluchistan will end up under Afghan rule.

 

[srh]

Entire KPK province would be their territory, none of whom would ever want to join them if Pakhtuns like Mamoon are any indication

some part of Punjab too upto Attock I believe

 

[Saeed]

lol Afghan government is stuck in some other century, the age of Empires is gone. Even Afghan refugees don't want to go back to Afghanistan and they think Pakistani Pathans will want to join them. Afghan people should protest against their corrupt government.

 

[Slog]

If they don't accept the Durand line, then what would they consider an acceptable border? Let's look at it from a neutral point of view and see if they have a case.

They want KPK and parts of Balochistan. Heck of I'm not wrong some districts in Punjab aswel

Reason being that some centuries ago some afghan ruler had control over these lands for a few years....

 

[PakLFC]

These ceremonies with Afghanistan are needless as we have nothing to prove to them. Can totally understand the one at the Wagah. Afghanistan knows that they'll never get an inch of Pakistan, our Khyber region Pathan's want to remain Pakistanis. Just like the call for Pashtunistan dies these Afghani trouble makers are bound to see sense one day as well.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

If everything west of Indus is under Afghan rule then all of FATA, KPK and parts of Punjab/Baluchistan will end up under Afghan rule.

So what would any of those regions gain from becoming part of Afghanistan as opposed to Pakistan? Just looking at Afghanistan as it is now, I don't really see any big attraction. Is this a serious demand or just wishful thinking from some cyber trolls?