PAKISTAN AND AFGHANISTAN

 With independence in 1947 Pakistan might have expected friendly support from the
neighboring Muslim state of Afghanistan. Unfortunately a border dispute right from the start
caused great difficulties for Pakistan.

 When Pakistan was admitted to the United Nations in September 1947, Afghanistan cast
the only vote against it.

 In 1947, there was a dispute over parts of the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP), the
majority of whose people belong to the Pathan tribes.

 In the 1947 referendum the people of the NFWP voted to join Pakistan. However, some
people had wanted to vote for a third option, an independent country to be known as
Pakhtunistan.

 The British would not allow this option to be voted on.

 Afghanistan had sided with those Pathans who wanted either an independent nation or to
join with Afghanistan. They still put a claim to some of the NWFP on the basis that part of it
had been captured from them 200 years earlier.

 The border, known as the Durand Line, that ran through Pathan territory had caused
frequent demands for independence.

 The leader of the separatist movement, Abdul Ghaffar Khan, had called for a boycott of the
1947 referendum. Radio Kabul and the Afghan government did all they could to stir up
support for the separatist cause. After the creation of Pakistan, Ghaffar Khan continued his
campaign.

 The Soviet Union also became involved and supported both Afghanistan and the idea of
Pakhtunistan. For the Russians it was a good opportunity to spread their influence.
Afghanistan is landlocked and needed a transit route for its goods. During talks in late 1947
Pakistan offered the Afghans a route through Pakistan. In return, it expected Afghanistan to
drop its support for Pakhtunistan. The Afghan Government refused and, instead, signed an
agreement with the USSR for a transit route through Russia. It was very disappointing for
Pakistan that the Afghans had chosen to cooperate with a Communist government rather
than with their fellow Muslims.

 During the 1950s the situation worsened as Afghanistan continued to encourage the anti-
Pakistan campaign in the NWFP.

 In March 1955 a mob of Afghans, encouraged by the government, attacked and ransacked
Pakistan's embassy in Kabul. Pakistan immediately broke off diplomatic relations and for
five months the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan was closed.

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  In 1956 President Iskander Mirza travelled to Afghanistan in an attempt to improve relations
between the two neighbours.

 His ·success was limited to a few agreements and relations deteriorated again.
Afghanistan persisted in campaigning in favour of Pakhtunistan. The USSR and, perhaps
not surprisingly, India also supported the campaign. In May 1961 armed Afghans were
driven back by Pakistani soldiers after they entered the NWFP.

 Once again Pakistan's diplomats in Kabul were harassed and diplomatic relations were
broken off. Even the intervention of US President Kennedy in October 1961 failed to restore
diplomatic relations.

 Eventually, in May 1963, through the efforts of the Shah of Iran, diplomatic relations were
resumed. Even so, Afghanistan continued to promote the Pakhtunistan separatist
movement. However, Afghanistan did remain neutral during Pakistan's war with India in
1965.

 Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, President and then Prime Minister 1971-7, was keen to promote good
relations with fellow Islamic nations. Only three weeks after taking office Bhutto visited
Kabul.

 In 1973 the Afghan monarchy was overthrown and replaced by a republic. Bhutto worked
hard to make friends with the new Afghan leader, Mohammad Daud Khan. His efforts paid
off and by 1976 relations between the two countries had improved considerably. Pakistan
permitted Afghan aircraft to fly over Pakistan and Afghan trucks to pass through the country
on their way to India.

 After General Zia seized power in 1977 he continued to work with Daud and an alliance
between the two countries was talked of.

 However, Daud, together with thirty members of his family, was killed in a violent coup, and
replaced by a communist administration. This so-called April Revolution in 1978, headed by
Nur Mohammad Taraki, was supported by the USSR.

 The new government introduced a sweeping programme of reform. There was a clash of
ideas: Muslims rebelled against the introduction of communist policies.

 In December 1979, after Taraki was killed by rebels, the USSR intervened with 80,000
Soviet soldiers. Muslims soon organized armed resistance, known as the mujahideen ,
using Pakistan as their main base.

 President Zia was very willing to assist the USA in channelling assistance to the
mujahideen. The Pakistan Army organized the supply of weapons amongst the various
groups. Pakistan's military intelligence service supplied information and practical advice. As
a result of their help, Pakistan became a target for Soviet attacks. Border villages were
bombed and a number of explosions carried out by USSR-backed Afghans took place
across Pakistan.
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  In the end the USSR, one of the world's two super-powers, was simply unable to crush
Afghan resistance. Humiliated, the USSR finally admitted defeat in 1988 and withdrew their
troops.

 For the USSR it was their 'Vietnam', further evidence that even a poor nation, with outside
support, could defeat a powerful invader. Unfortunately, they left Afghanistan in a state of
civil war with many casualties, and the flood of refugees into Pakistan continued.

PAKISTAN AND BANGLADESH

 Following the end of hostilities in December 1971, Pakistan refused to recognize Bangladesh
as an independent nation. As far as it was concerned, East Pakistan was in a state of rebellion
and still, in law, part of Pakistan.

 Many Muslims declared Bangladesh-Na-Manzur (no recognition for Bangladesh). Mr Bhutto's

government threatened to break off diplomatic relations with any country that recognized the
new government in Bangladesh.

 When Britain recognized Bangladesh, Pakistan left the Common Wealth and SEATO.

 In July 1972 Mr Bhutto entered a round of talks with the Indian Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, in
Simla. With the signing of the Simla Accord, Pakistan accepted its post-war position and India
withdrew its troops from land it had occupied in 1971. Even so Pakistan did not formally
recognize the new state of Bangladesh.

 In February 1974 Muslim leaders gathered for the Islamic Summit in Lahore. Sheikh Mujib, the
Prime Minister of Bangladesh, was also invited and attended. It was a significant occasion.
There was sense of pride chat Pakistan was hosting the summit meeting, and a desire for
Muslim unity. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto seized the opportunity, at a private meeting with Sheikh Mujib,
to agree that Pakistan would officially recognize Bangladesh as an independent nation. In
return, the few last remaining prisoners held in Bangladesh were returned to Pakistan.

 Many difficulties still stood in the way of good relations between the two countries.

 In June 1974 Mr Bhutto visited Bangladesh. Sheikh Mujib raised the question of assets which
he argued Bangladesh had a right to. He claimed that as they had been half of Pakistan they
were now entitled to half of the nation's assets. Sheikh Mujib also wanted Pakistan to take back
all non-Bengalis (Biharis) then living in Bangladesh, whether they wanted to move or not.

 Pakistan at that point rejected the demand as being quite unreasonable. However, there has
been no decision as yet on the status of the Biharis who continue to live in camps in
Bangladesh.

 Sheikh Mujib was assassinated in a coup in 1975.

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 In 1976 ambassadors were exchanged. This was an important step towards normalizing
relations.

 lt became easier to reach agreement and work together on a range of issues including tourism,
culture, and trade.

 By 1986 trade had reached a value of $40 million a year.

PAKISTAN AND IRAN

 An early dispute between Iran and Pakistan, over ownership of Qila Sufaid, led to violence.
Fortunately, this and other disputes were solved quite amicably. In May 1960 agreement on the
border was finally reached. Iran gave up 95 miles of territory to Pakistan and in return the town
of Zahidan was given to Iran.

 In 1955 Pakistan signed the Baghdad Pact, a joint defence agreement with Iran, Iraq, and
Turkey. It was intended to deter any Soviet expansion in the Middle East. In 1959, after Iraq
quit, the Baghdad Pact became the Central Asia Treaty Organization (CENTO) and was
promoted by the USA although they did not join in. Britain was a member. Pakistan was
disappointed that CENTO did not have its own military command capable of mobilizing troops
to protect a member against attack.

 CENTO gave Pakistan no protection against India. CENTO was disbanded in 1979 with the
overthrow of the Shah of Iran's government.

 In 1964 at Islamabad, on President Ayub Khan's suggestion, Pakistan joined with Iran and Tu
key to set up the Regional Cooperation for Development. Ayub Khan saw it as a supplement
to CENTO. Its purpose was to strengthen economic, technical, educational, and cultural links
between the three Muslim countries. It was hoped that trade would improve. However, it was in
education and cultural areas that the RCD was most successful. By 1979 the RCD had really
come to an end, but in 1985 General Zia revived it.

 In 1990 RCD was renamed the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) and, apart from
the founder countries, the newly independent Central Asian States were also inducted as
member countries.

 At the time of the 1965 war with India, Iran was quick to defend Pakistan and even offered
some military assistance.

 Again in 1973 Iran helped Pakistan tackle the Baloch insurgency. But the Shah of Iran
depended very much on the support and goodwill of he USA. When the USA applied pressure,
Iran dropped its offer of practical help.

 In January 1979 the Shah of Iran was overthrown and replaced by a strongly anti-American
government led by Ayatollah Khomeini.

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  Pakistan was one of the first countries to officially recognize the new government, but Khomeini
was suspicious of Pakistan because of its previous close relationship with the Shah.

 Iran was also critical of Pakistan for accepting large amounts of aid from the USA.

 During the Iran-Iraq war, 1980-8, it was difficult to achieve any close relationship.

PAKISTAN AND THE UNITED NATIONS

 The United Nations (UN) was set up in 1945 at the end of World War II, with the main aim to
bring nations together and prevent further wars. Thus the world has been spared a Third World
War, though there have been a number of skirmishes and localized wars.

 Pakistan joined the UN in September 1947.

 Pakistan also used the UN platform to condemn the illegal occupation of princely states of
Junagadh and Hyderabad by India.

 Pakistan and India have clashed in three such wars since 1947. The UN also tries to sort out
these and similar conflicts, with varying levels of success.

 Pakistan has played an active role in the United Nations which is a forum for nations to appeal to
the rest of the world when they feel threatened by stronger powers.

 Pakistan has repeatedly tried to get the UN to settle the Kashmir issue. On 20 January 1948 the
Security Council established the United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan (UNCIP)
which in due course called for the future of Kashmir to be 'determined in accordance with the will
of the people'. But the plebiscite called for by the UN and by Pakistan has never taken place.

 The power of the UN is limited and dependent on the cooperation of ocher countries-in This case,
India. India has distanced itself from attempts at mediation by the UN.

 Nevertheless, the UN did arrange a ceasefire. Although unable to settle the matter, the UN has
patrolled and tried to maintain the peace along the Line of Control.

 However, since 1972 the Indians have refused to allow UN observers on the Indian-held side.
For sixty years Pakistan has used the UN platform to appeal to the world's conscience over the
injustice it and Kashmir have suffered.

 The difficult issue of the Canal Water Dispute between India and Pakistan was eventually settled
by Eugene Black, President of the World Bank, in 1959-60. The World Bank is an agency of the
United Nations.

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 The World Bank has also provided Pakistan with much-needed finance for hydro-electric
development and soil reclamation programmes.

 As well as conflict resolution, it also tries to get nations to cooperate together in tackling poverty,
economic problems, and human rights issues. Since 1963 the UN World Food Programme has
worked to relieve hunger and poverty for the world's refugees. Many Afghans who fled their
country to Pakistan have been helped by this programme, as have victims of natural disasters
such as the massive Indian Ocean tsunami in December 2004, and the earthquake in Pakistan in
October 2005. The Cold War period made the work of the UN extremely important, but also very
difficult.

 The superpowers, USA, Russia, China, France, and Britain, exercise great authority in the UN.
These five nations are permanent members of the Security Council and have the power of veto.
That means any one of them can effectively block the UN from taking action on something. The
UN is only as strong as the commitment of the major countries.

 In 1971, with civil war in East Pakistan, Pakistanis were upset at the failure of the UN to
recognize the justice of Pakistan's case. The UN called for a ceasefire but did not condemn
India's invasion of East Pakistan.

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