Afghan Senate Speaker calls Pakistan area across Durand Line as Afghan Land
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PESHAWAR: Abdul Latif Pedram, a prominent Afghan lawmaker and the head of the National Congress Party, is facing backlash after he called for the recognition of the Durand Line as an official border between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
On Sunday, Pedram told reporters in Kabul, “I once again announce that the Line is an international border and Afghanistan and Pakistan should respect each other and respect the border of each other and refrain from interfering in internal affairs of each other,” he was quoted as saying by the Voice of America’s Afghan service.
Pedram is also the leader of Afghanistan’s Tajik ethnic group.
Shortly after his statement, the Afghan senate witnessed a heated debated. “This is not acceptable to the people of Afghanistan.
On Sunday, Pedram told reporters in Kabul, “I once again announce that the Line is an international border and Afghanistan and Pakistan should respect each other and respect the border of each other and refrain from interfering in internal affairs of each other,” he was quoted as saying by the Voice of America’s Afghan service.
Pedram is also the leader of Afghanistan’s Tajik ethnic group.
Shortly after his statement, the Afghan senate witnessed a heated debated. “This is not acceptable to the people of Afghanistan.
That side of the Line is our land and it belongs to us,” said senate speaker Fazel Hadi Muslimyar, as quoted by Tolo News, “if anyone has any kind of imagination in this respect, it is unacceptable.”
“There is not a single Pashtoon in Pedram’s party - this coward man,” said another senator.
The Durand Line, which runs over 2,000 km between Pakistan and Afghanistan, was first drawn up in 1893 under British colonial rule. Afghanistan disputes the legitimacy of much of the border.
“There is not a single Pashtoon in Pedram’s party - this coward man,” said another senator.
The Durand Line, which runs over 2,000 km between Pakistan and Afghanistan, was first drawn up in 1893 under British colonial rule. Afghanistan disputes the legitimacy of much of the border.
