Framework for Resetting Afghan-Pakistan Relations
A critical first step toward resolving these issues is to exclude the liberal-secular voices from the Musharraf era (or now) who were disconnected from ground realities and contributed to strategic miscalculations. Their continued involvement only complicates matters. Once they are removed from the equation, many of the challenges will begin to resolve themselves organically.
Ghosts of the Past
Clarify Policy on Musharraf-Era U-Turn: Acknowledge and clearly define whether the dramatic policy shift during the Musharraf era regarding Afghanistan was a strategic error or a calculated move.
If it was a mistake — as many believe — it should be acknowledged openly. Pakistan must offer a formal and repeated apology and take responsibility for the long-term consequences.
Develop a consistent foreign policy narrative around Afghanistan, and ensure that all arms of the state adhere to it without deviation.
Political Reset
Free and Fair Elections: Release Imran Khan (IK), ensure transparent elections, and allow democratic forces to re-engage with Afghanistan, including official visits by elected representatives and specifically IK...
Decentralized KP Governance
et a duly elected KP government — under IK or any other legitimate political force — manage provincial matters, especially those affecting Pak-Afghan relations.
Empower local structures including ulama, jirgas, and tribal elders.
Guarantee swift, affordable, and impartial justice for KP residents to build trust and reduce alienation.
Foreign Office & Diplomatic Engagement
Revamp Diplomatic Representation: Place culturally and linguistically competent Pashtun officers (preferably Yusufzai or Popalzai lineage, over 6 ft tall men — culturally significant in Afghan context) in key consular posts in Afghanistan. If necessary, promote capable junior officers.
Joint Military-Foreign Office Delegations: Send coordinated high-level delegations — senior military officers accompanied by experienced Pashtun diplomats — to engage with all levels of the Taliban leadership. Discuss the historic Musharraf U-turn candidly and seek a joint civil-military-diplomatic reset.
Confidence-Building Measures & Public Diplomacy
Media & Social Media Campaign: Launch a sustained, multilingual media offensive (Urdu, Pashto, Dari, English) focused on:
Positive anecdotes of cooperation.
Human stories from KP and Afghanistan.
Peace-building narratives
Leverage Pakistan's superior media and digital reach to create goodwill and frame the national narrative. Afghan media and social media presence cannot match this volume and consistency — this is an advantage Pakistan must use smartly.
Afghan Visas & Trade:
Prioritize medical visas and treatment for Afghan patients in KP and North Punjab. Monitor but facilitate with dignity.
Prioritize Afghan trade and transit via Karachi and Gwadar, including from India. Use smart logistics and surveillance, similar to Indian practices.
Religious and Scholarly Exchange:
Initiate high-level religious diplomacy by Sending senior Pakistani scholars to Afghanistan.
Hosting Afghan ulama across Pakistan’s madaris and seminaries.
Normalize scholar-level engagement to counter radical ideologies.
Aqeedah & Ideological Clarity
Counter-TTP Ideology:
Publicly and academically challenge the ideological roots of TTP, especially their fringe Mamati Deobandi and Panjpiri positions.
Highlight how both mainstream Deoband and Ahl-e-Hadeeth circles (in both Pakistan and Afghanistan) have historically rejected such distortions.
Produce accessible material in Urdu, Pashto, Dari, and Arabic that dissects and discredits this ideological deviance.
“Those who don’t understand this point need not worry — those who matter, do.”
Symbolic Warfare – Janazah Campaign
Cultural Leverage Through Mourning: Pashtun society places immense emotional and moral weight on Janazah (funeral prayers). Every victim of terrorism — military or civilian — should receive a public, documented funeral, broadcast with translations and commentary in all relevant languages.
These events should resonate deeply across Afghan society. Let every loss in Pakistan be mourned visibly and loudly, so that Afghan audiences cannot ignore the human cost of cross-border terrorism.
Military & Security Cooperation
Professional Military Training: Allow capable Afghan officers, JCOs, and NCOs to train in Pakistan — based purely on merit and professional standards. This is a long-term trust-building exercise, similar to Pakistan’s military ties with Sri Lanka. Unlike India, do not dilute standards to accommodate political needs — excellence builds respect.
Direct Dialogue on Border Security: Hold consistent and frank conversations with Afghan military and border forces — at all levels — about cross-border terrorism. If India can do this with China despite complex tensions, Pakistan can and must do so with Afghanistan.
Information Warfare & Strategic Messaging
Build a Trained Media Corps: Develop and deploy a well-trained army of articulate, media-savvy Pashtun professionals who:Masterfully represent Pakistan’s narrative in Afghan TV, podcasts, and public discourse. Are equipped to face hard questions and engage in respectful but firm dialogue.
Reciprocal Dialogue: Invite Afghan voices to Pakistani media forums. Let disagreements be aired — this fosters credibility and reduces misperceptions.
Final Contingency — If Conflict Becomes Inevitable
If, after extensive outreach and confidence-building efforts, terrorism continues to emanate from Afghan soil, Pakistan must be prepared to act militarily — but only with full moral and diplomatic clarity.
A well-crafted and consistently communicated foreign policy will ensure:
The Afghan public understands the steps Pakistan took to avoid conflict.
The regional and global community sees that military action was a last resort, not a first impulse.
Why Afghanistan is not Bangladesh?
The Pakistani military made monumental errors in East Pakistan as well. However, the absence of a coherent strategy to address the historical wrongs in Bangladesh will not lead to child-sized coffins in the streets of Pakistan. There is a crucial distinction: Bengali Muslims are not Pashtun. Over time, despite grievances, Bangladeshis are likely to soften their stance and move toward normalization.
Pakistan must also acknowledge the injustices committed against the people of Bangladesh. These historical wrongs deserve to be addressed — sincerely and honestly. However, the approach toward Bangladeshis must differ from that toward Afghans, because the nature and scope of the issues are fundamentally different.
The challenge with Afghanistan is not just historical; it is ongoing and strategically vital to Pakistan’s national security. It demands a more urgent, multi-dimensional response. While reconciliation with Bangladesh is a matter of historical reckoning and regional goodwill, the Afghan question directly affects the internal stability, border security, and future coherence of the Pakistani state.
Each issue requires its own method, pace, and tone — but both must be addressed if Pakistan is to move forward with credibility and strength.
In contrast, the Pashtun issue is fundamentally different. It is not merely a grievance — it is a festering wound, one that, if left untreated, will deepen and metastasize. Ignoring or mishandling it will only make the problem worse over time.
Pakistan cannot — and should not — try to militarily subdue the Afghans. History has proven that such efforts are futile. But more importantly, they are unnecessary. Pakistan possesses a broad array of tools — political, cultural, diplomatic, religious, informational — that, if used wisely and consistently, can manage and even reshape Afghan perceptions and dynamics to serve mutual stability.
