Hassan Khan
On Wednesday November 28, when Prime Minister Imran Khan laid foundation stone of the Kartharpur Sahib corridor project between Indian and Pakistan providing a conduit between two holiest places of Sikh religion, some Pakistani politicians, nationalist leaders and social
media activists raised voices for having such a corridor between Pakistan
and Afghanistan.
media activists raised voices for having such a corridor between Pakistan
and Afghanistan.
The critics of Kartharpur corridor or the one demanding corridor between Pakistan and Afghanistan are criminally ignoring the huge differences that existed between Pakistan relations with India and Pakistan relations with Afghanistan respectively.
Since birth of Pakistan in 1947, both Pakistan and India are perpetually in state of hostility. Both had fought three major wars, scores of border conflicts still existed between Delhi and Islamabad and having killed hundreds of thousands of people from both sides.
Like the dissimilarities between people of Pakistan and India, there also existed multiple disputes between the two countries ranging from territorial disputes over Himalayan state of Kashmir to border disputes over Line of Control.
Like the dissimilarities between people of Pakistan and India, there also existed multiple disputes between the two countries ranging from territorial disputes over Himalayan state of Kashmir to border disputes over Line of Control.
The cross border movement between people of India and Pakistan is almost non-existent; and exports and imports trade between the two countries is done via third countries.
There is a strict visa regime between India and Pakistan.
People from both countries are facing extreme hardships in visiting each other families or relations, or even the religious sites in respective countries.
People from both countries are facing extreme hardships in visiting each other families or relations, or even the religious sites in respective countries.
There is hardly any movement at the border points between India and Pakistan except Wahga and Attrari border point. The spectacles of machoism at Wahga-Attari displayed by border forces of India and Pakistan are just for the visitors eyes to see. However crossing the point even with valid documents is the most difficult exercise and is hardly seen done.
Contrary, to this situation, there are multiple open border points between Pakistan and Afghanistan. During the last seven decades, the border points along Pak Afghan border are flooded by people round the clock from both sides.
Until recently, there was hardly any visa regime existed between Pakistan and Afghanistan and people used to visit each other countries without valid documents.
Until recently, there was hardly any visa regime existed between Pakistan and Afghanistan and people used to visit each other countries without valid documents.
Even today, majority of Afghans are still not used to cross the border with valid visa or other documents. The scenes at Torkham, Chaman and Ghulam Khan border points are witness to the reality that prevailed between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Daily hundreds of thousands are visiting their relatives, hospitals for medical treatment and educational institutions.
Daily hundreds of thousands are visiting their relatives, hospitals for medical treatment and educational institutions.
Visiting the Torkham border point at any time of the day one can see thousands of people still coming from Afghanistan entering Pakistan without having visa. No doubt, to check the movements of bad elements on both sides of the border, both the countries agreed to have a proper visa regime like other
countries.
countries.
However, just a year or two ago, Afghans or Pakistani never felt any need to have a visa regime from either sides to cross the border. Even today more people or crossing border points between Afghanistan and Pakistan without valid visa than those having valid documents between any two countries of the world.
After Torkham, other most busy border point is Chaman linking Balochistan with Kandahar province of Afghanistan.
According to a senior official in Pakistan Consulate in Kandahar, majority of Afghans even today not applying for visas at the Kandahar mission; the reason is they believed – and quite obvious - for them it is more easy to cross the border without having visa than going through the ordeals of getting visa.
Hundreds of Afghans are visiting the Pakistani hospitals for treatment almost daily. Majority of the ailing Afghans are availing the facilities even at public sector hospitals which are meant for the Pakistan own people who are paying taxes. Afghans kids are studying in Pakistani educational institutions while residing with their relatives.
Ghulam Khan, Angoor Ada, Tri Mangal, Torkham, Nawa Pass, Arando and Chaman are the few important openings between Pakistan and Afghanistan which are flooded by people from both sides all the time. Scores such other points along the border are not listed, however, they are used by the local people from both sides.
Its a fact that people of Pakistan and Afghanistan are just like one nation, while people of India and Pakistan have lots of dissimilarities ranging from religion, language, culture and geographies.
Those asking Pakistan to have similar treatment with Afghans as Islamabad is meting out with Indians is asking for creating hatred and mistrust between the two people.
What I suggest would to have open border policy with Afghanistan as like the past instead having corridor type facilities which are symbol of hatred.
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To the extent that talk of establishing a people's corridor between Pakistan-Afghanistan discounts and negates the historical (and present) ease of people to move between the two countries, i agree. I also agree that within that very context, the case of India (and our historical animosity) warrants the need for many such corridors with our eastern neighbour. However, i feel that Mr. Afrasiyab Khattak and others, when they suggest that a people's corridor a-la India-Pakistan should also be extended to Afghanistan, speak of it in figurative terms - the "spirit of amity" rather than a symbolic corridor in concrete terms, with all its pomp and show. Afghanistan is, and will remain a foreign policy issue with lingering implications for peace in the region. It is not a question of the different/unique nature of our relationships with our neighbours but extending the same gesture of peace to all. Coming down to that question, can Pakistan transcend its biases to create a peace corridor with Afgahnistan - real or figurative?
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