Caption:Mullah Abdul Manan Hasan reignites controversy, calling the Durand Line a “temporary border”
In a renewed attempt to stir controversy, Afghan Taliban commander Mullah Abdul Manan Hasan has once again issued an inflammatory and baseless statement regarding the Durand Line, describing it as a “temporary border.”
According to analysts, the Taliban’s repeated remarks on the issue are part of a broader strategy to boost their domestic popularity and divert public attention from internal failures and governance crises.
Speaking to border forces, Mullah Abdul Manan claimed that the Durand Line “is not an international border but a temporary demarcation.” Pakistan swiftly rejected the statement, reiterating that the Durand Line is an internationally recognized boundary whose legal status is settled and indisputable.
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An Afghan journalist, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the Taliban leadership is using nationalist rhetoric to mask growing discontent among citizens amid administrative chaos, economic collapse, and widespread frustration. “By reviving old and settled issues like the Durand Line, the Taliban are trying to inflame public emotions and shift focus away from their own shortcomings,” the journalist added.
Observers warn that such provocative statements not only threaten regional stability but also expose the Taliban’s continued reliance on populist narratives instead of addressing Afghanistan’s pressing socio-economic challenges.