Afghanistan. Today, support is growing civil war resulting in a separate Pashtun among the 41 million Pashtuns for a sepa- state may be one reason it has been reluctant Geography rate “Pashtunistan,” a region that would in- to fi ght the Taliban, instead opting for peace In The clude large areas of Pakistan and Afghani- deals like the one that recently failed in the stan. Swat Valley. Obviously, the Durand Line, of News™ Prior to 1847 when they were defeated which 85 percent follows clear topographi- by the British, Pashtun kings who founded cal features like rivers or watershed divides Afghanistan ruled over 40,000 square miles instead of ethnic lines, has had far-reaching (103,600 sq. km) of what is now Pakistan. implications. Neal Lineback Today, that part of Pakistan contains more The international boundary lines that di- and Mandy Lineback Gritzner than half of the region’s Pashtun popula- vide Africa were created in a similar fash- tion. During this time, the Pashtuns were a ion to the Durand Line – through colonial politically united group. After conquering intervention. THE DISPUTED the Pashtuns, the British imposed the politi- For most of its history, Africa had no cal boundary. The boundary separates Af- defi ned states, and was instead inhabited DURAND LINE ghanistan from Pakistan with Pashtuns left by many small, loosely associated tribal Many of the problems occurring in Paki- on both sides of the line. Although the Pash- groups, kingdoms and families. Though stan and Afghanistan today result from Is- tuns vehemently protested, the British gave European explorers arrived in the 14th cen- lamic extremism. Ethnic tensions also play these dominated areas to Pakistan, which tury, they did not begin the “scramble for a key role in the confl icts. Were it not for the had and still has a Punjabi-dominated gov- Africa,” an attempt to occupy most of the Durand Line, a political boundary between ernment. continent, until the early 19th century. Afghanistan and Pakistan imposed by the Afghanistan has never accepted the 1,610 The imperial powers created many colo- British in 1893, Pakistan might not be fac- mile (2,640 km) Durand Line between the nial states in Africa and occupied them un- ing such problems til the conclusion of between the Taliban Support for Pashtunistan World War II. These and the country’s states divided tribal ©2009 military. UZBEKISTAN groups with little Throughout his- concern for how tory, European colo- TURKMENISTAN TAJIKISTAN the divisions might nial powers imposed affect ethnic ten- political boundaries sions. Today Africa that bitterly divided is home to over 30 0 500 mi Federally ethnic groups and Administered independent coun- created confl icts 0 500 km Tribal Areas North-West tries, many of which over land and trans- (FATA) Frontier still have borders Province portation routes. drawn during the Although Africa has AFGHANISTAN era of European many examples of CHINA colonialism. Bor- international bound- IRAN der and territorial ary lines drawn by PAKISTAN disputes have been New colonial rulers, none NEPAL common, with the is more divisive than Balochistan Delhi European-imposed the Durand Line, borders of many named for Sir Mor- INDIA countries being timer Durand, a for- widely contested eign secretary of the through armed con- British Indian Gov- Durand Line fl icts. ernment from 1884 Arabian Like many in Af- Sea Proposed Pashtunistan to 1894. OMAN rica and the Middle Much of the East, Pakistan and Geography in the News 6/26/09 C. Franko Pakistani army is Afghanistan’s long- composed of Pun- term ethnic confl icts jabis, members of are exacerbated by Sources: GITN #991, “Pakistan to Swat the Taliban,” May 29, 2009; and Harrison, the majority people poorly drawn inter- Selig S. “Pakistan’s Ethnic Fault Line,” (Special to the Washington Post) Winston-Salem of Punjab in eastern national boundaries Journal, May 17, 2009. Pakistan and north- and have no quick western India. The solutions. Taliban, on the other hand, is comprised en- two countries. The Afghani government And that is Geography in the News™. tirely of Pashtuns, a group in Afghanistan has continuously questioned the legitima- June 26, 2009. #995. and the North-West Frontier Province and cy of rule of Pashtun areas by the Pakistani Co-authors are Neal Lineback, Appalachian Balochistan provinces of western Pakistan. government. Consequently, Afghanistan State University Professor Emeritus of For many centuries, the Pashtuns fought has encouraged an autonomous state for Geography, and Geographer Mandy Lineback to prevent Punjabis from entering the the Pashtun population inside Pakistan. Gritzner. University News Director Jane mountainous borderlands of Pakistan and The Pakistan military’s fear of an ethnic Nicholson serves as technical editor.

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