Defining Strategic Depth

[khurasaan1]

Thanks for the nice proposal, but i dont think people will agree with you.



i dont think so.

Brother I totally agree with ure comments about my post ...but this will happen very soon...it is the will of the people of Afghanistan too cuz u never been there so you might not know. People have seen dreams and met with Aulia-e-Allah and sahabah Karaam in their dreams who are leading the Army of Afghans against the anti-islamic invaders. It is the matter of time just watch and see. See how Allah is controlling this game through his Malikah and helping the poor Afghan Muslims(even without weapons) to defeat the world biggest super power of his time. This is totally a Miracle of Allah subhana-ho- watallah. The commanders the enemies are getting crazy and running away from battlefield cuz they can't see malaikah to shoot them...off coarse they will go crazy.

 

[Ahmad]

Brother I totally agree with ure comments about my post ...but this will happen very soon...it is the will of the people of Afghanistan too cuz u never been there so you might not know. People have seen dreams and met with Aulia-e-Allah and sahabah Karaam in their dreams who are leading the Army of Afghans against the anti-islamic invaders. It is the matter of time just watch and see. See how Allah is controlling this game through his Malikah and helping the poor Afghan Muslims(even without weapons) to defeat the world biggest super power of his time. This is totally a Miracle of Allah subhana-ho- watallah. The commanders the enemies are getting crazy and running away from battlefield cuz they can't see malaikah to shoot them...off coarse they will go crazy.

Come on brother, I didnt expect all this from you. You left me speechless.

 

[Dr-Sangeen]

Now coming to the question of “Strategic Depth”. Yes Pakistan needs the strategic depth. Not for withdrawing the army from the eastern front in face of Indian attack but to locate its central command and strategic assets as far back from Indian border as possible. That is something that we all know.

What is more important is that Afghanistan also needs Strategic Depth. Not in geographical but in geopolitical terms.

Afghanistan needs Pakistan for its reconstruction in post NATO/US era. Without Pakistan’s “sincere help” Afghanistan will slide back into the civil war of the early 90s. Afghanistan at present is deeply divided on ethnic lines and it will need at least a decade of peace to build the trust and for that there need to be a peace keeper strong enough to be able to keep these groups at bay. Just like the role NATO has been playing after the breakup of Yugoslavia.

This role will not be limited to peace keeping only Pakistan will have to literally reconstruct Afghanistan. Now there are many that will think that why should Pakistan reconstruct Afghanistan? The answer is that Pakistan has no choice; Pakistan and Afghanistan are one and the same.

Yes we are the same country. This geographical area that we now know as Pakistan has always been part of Afghanistan. We have to eradicate this evil divide created by British and become one as we have always been. I am not talking about Pashtunistan that some brain dead Pashtun nationalist idiots jump up and down for; I am talking about ALL of the Pakistan.

This will surely make some Pakistanis jump. This will be their most predictable initial reaction. They don't like to hear that but the problem is that it is the truth. They just simply do not know their history.

Look at the first map of Afghanistan –by first map of Afghanistan I mean the first modern state of Afghanistan from the times of Ahmad Shah Durani- That shows present day Pakistan as part of Afghanistan in its entirety. Lahore was Ahmad Shah Durani’s second capital after Qandahar. Furthermore, who build the modern Lahore?

Yes you guessed right, it was Malik Ayaz, Mahmood Ghaznavi’s General, he is even buried in Rang Mahal commercial area of Lahore.

Now the fortunes have changed; Eastern side of Afghanistan (Pakistan) is more developed then the western Afghanistan and that is why Afghanistan needs it.

As far as Durand Line is concerned; it is the biggest injustice to the population living on either side of this evil divide. It has literally divided one body into two; right from Wah Khan till Kamal Khan it is has dividing family from family and brother from brother.

People in Islamabad can jump up and down all they like but their hoo haa will not change the 2,430 kilometre long tragedy.

The real tragedy is that both sides are being utter and sheer idiots about solving this problem. Afghans are making idiotic demand of so called Pashtunistan and the Pakistanis have been hiding under the table scared of the fact that one day there might be a strong stable Afghan government that will pursue their this idiotic demand.

Let’s look at this demand of Pashtunistan… Afghans want the KpK and Baluchistan areas. The population in these areas is bigger then the total population of Afghanistan. Not only that but the region that they want is far advanced in every aspect, be it economically, financially or infra structure wise.

Now for instance even if Afghanistan somehow manages to get this region, will it not be the case that this “new acquired land and its population” will literally take over everything in Afghanistan due to its massive advantage in resources? Are Afghans willing to give up all its businesses, commerce, jobs and above all the leadership to us Ex-Pakistanis? Of course not … their demand for Pashtunistan is based on utopian thinking.

On other hand Pakistan can not run away from reality that this Durand Line has divided brother from brother. On what basis will Pakistani Government ask for it to be made permanent? It can not be Ethnic reasons because, as I mentioned earlier, it is exactly the same population mercilessly divided into two. It can not be on religious basis as both populations have exactly same religious ideology. It can not be on geographical lines as we have perfect accesses to each other. So on what basis can Pakistani Government ask for this evil divide to be made permanent?

I perfectly understand that my ideas may sound rather far fetched to most of you but you have to ask yourselves that what other option does both Pakistan and Afghanistan have? If Pakistan is asking for integration with Kashmir then why will it not use the same formula with Afghanistan? Pakistan really has to stop looking at Afghanistan as problem running away from it and undermining it. Pakistan should instead embrace it with sincerity and with open arms after all we have been one for thousands of years. Why think as different nation now?

Do Pakistani planners think by creating “Pakistan friendly” and “Afghan non-friendly” outfits will Pakistan ever evade this problem? These immature and uneducated policies have made everyone in Afghanistan hate Pakistan, Pashtun as well as non-Pashtuns.

It is about time that Pakistanis and Afghans open their eyes and think like grown ups. It is not only in their interest to work together but it is absolutely vital for them.

p.s. written this note in real rush so may be a bit incoherent... but one should use his imagination ... if he has any.

 

[muse]

OK - fair enough, lets look at this -

Claim: Pakistan and Afghanistan are the same (the same as what, we do not know)
Evidence to support the claim: An old map of a tribal, ethnic and religious empire????? Really?

OK, so why these idiot claims? What problem are they supposed to be a solution to??

Durand Line?? Yawn

one should use his imagination ... if he has any.

And perhaps one should use one's imagination with care, as well.


Listen friend, if Durand line is a problem, it is because Pakistan has been since the death of the Quaid e Azam, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, been willing to negotiate away her borders (see how Zahedan was turned over to the Iranian) -- and if you want more examples that Pakistani policy makers are nogt serious people, look at the fact that there is such a thing called FATA on a border which the other side refuses to recognize - What kind of idiots do things like that??

Like all things, Pakistan only has to assert herself and her problems will disappear - especially problems with Afghans -- Afghans like to know where they stand, and it helps if you kick their but offer them a hand up, unfortunately pakistan cannot do the latter.

 

[TaimiKhan]

Now coming to the question of “Strategic Depth”. Yes Pakistan needs the strategic depth. Not for withdrawing the army from the eastern front in face of Indian attack but to locate its central command and strategic assets as far back from Indian border as possible. That is something that we all know.

Well that is what you only know as we don't. Seriously, you think Pakistan needs Afghanistan to station its central command and strategic assets ?? Do we have a magic wand that we will make a central command and routes and places for stationing of strategic assets in Afghanistan within a day or a week ?? What if we start a war with India tomorrow, can the strategic depth term described by you implemented ?? No way. Pakistan has enough space, locations and depth to keep its command centers hidden as well as strategic assets, we are in no need for Afghanistan to help us out as such a strategy needs time, money, resources as well as the will of Afghanistan to let Pakistan use its soil, which can only happen if we have an alliance, any deal where we are locked with each other in a defence deal, like NATO. But that is impossible to happen, so your definition of strategic depth is just a childish dream which some people make up to justify their own agenda. Pakistan has no geographical plans for Afghanistan as that is impossible as no one has resources or the will to do that. Afghanistan opposed us at the UN, thus it is very well known we can have no deal for using Afghan air space or land as Afghans don't accept our reality.

A peaceful non interfering in our affairs Afghanistan is the only strategic depth we can have, not an Afghanistan where we can station something.

This role will not be limited to peace keeping only Pakistan will have to literally reconstruct Afghanistan. Now there are many that will think that why should Pakistan reconstruct Afghanistan? The answer is that Pakistan has no choice; Pakistan and Afghanistan are one and the same.

Sorry, we are not the same. Afghanistan is Afghanistan and Pakistan is Pakistan, and yeah we do have choices.

Yes we are the same country. This geographical area that we now know as Pakistan has always been part of Afghanistan. We have to eradicate this evil divide created by British and become one as we have always been. I am not talking about Pashtunistan that some brain dead Pashtun nationalist idiots jump up and down for; I am talking about ALL of the Pakistan.

This will surely make some Pakistanis jump. This will be their most predictable initial reaction. They don't like to hear that but the problem is that it is the truth. They just simply do not know their history.

Look at the first map of Afghanistan –by first map of Afghanistan I mean the first modern state of Afghanistan from the times of Ahmad Shah Durani- That shows present day Pakistan as part of Afghanistan in its entirety. Lahore was Ahmad Shah Durani’s second capital after Qandahar. Furthermore, who build the modern Lahore?

Again, you are very much wrong here, majority of the people in Pakistan do not hold such views, we are happy as Pakistan, you guys should also be happy as Afghanistan, construct and prosper your country, keep your eyes away from us. And yeah we know history, but if something was in the past, it doesn't means it has to remain the same in the present or the future. It was past, let it be the past.

Now the fortunes have changed; Eastern side of Afghanistan (Pakistan) is more developed then the western Afghanistan and that is why Afghanistan needs it.

Well the downfall of western afghanistan has been due to its own doing, so again do it on your own, don;t drag us with you, we are already in deep shiet due to you guys.

As far as Durand Line is concerned; it is the biggest injustice to the population living on either side of this evil divide. It has literally divided one body into two; right from Wah Khan till Kamal Khan it is has dividing family from family and brother from brother.

People in Islamabad can jump up and down all they like but their hoo haa will not change the 2,430 kilometre long tragedy.

It seems injustice to some of you, but by looking at the past, it seems it was the right injustice as the brothers on this side atleast were spared the wrath of war and destruction for decades but at last the bad luck has now transferred over the border and besieged the so called brothers on this side too, thanks to you guys.

The real tragedy is that both sides are being utter and sheer idiots about solving this problem. Afghans are making idiotic demand of so called Pashtunistan and the Pakistanis have been hiding under the table scared of the fact that one day there might be a strong stable Afghan government that will pursue their this idiotic demand.

And we will be ready for that when that happens, but it seems its gonna take decades more for the idiotic dream to atleast see some reality, and inshAllah by then we will be much more ready for handling Afghanistan.

Let’s look at this demand of Pashtunistan… Afghans want the KpK and Baluchistan areas. The population in these areas is bigger then the total population of Afghanistan. Not only that but the region that they want is far advanced in every aspect, be it economically, financially or infra structure wise.

Aaaahhhhh, so that is the real intent, being brothers was just a hogwash.

I perfectly understand that my ideas may sound rather far fetched to most of you but you have to ask yourselves that what other option does both

Do Pakistani planners think by creating “Pakistan friendly” and “Afghan non-friendly” outfits will Pakistan ever evade this problem? These immature and uneducated policies have made everyone in Afghanistan hate Pakistan, Pashtun as well as non-Pashtuns.

It is about time that Pakistanis and Afghans open their eyes and think like grown ups. It is not only in their interest to work together but it is absolutely vital for them.

Strange is that if the Afghans so much hate us Pakistanis, then what the hell are they doing all over Pakistan and doing business and enjoying their lives. Pushtuns, Hazaray wals, farsi speaking ones, all are enjoying their lives in Pakistan, if they hate us so much, why don't they move over to Afghanistan and built it. Height of hypocrisy.

Its time that you guys open your eyes and forget the dreams of getting KPK & baluchistan, instead grow up and rebuilt your own country which is devastated by decades of war, and yeah we will help if you remain a brotherly Afghanistan, but if you have other ideas for Pakistan, then don't expect help.

 

[Xeric]

First of all welcome back Mr 'my-middle-name-is-chill' .

Ok.

So what do we have here...hmmmm...Pakistan reconstructing Afghanistan. Ok. Seriously we dont have a problem with that. Why should we. We are brothers and most importantly neighbors. Pakistan has always said that a stable Afg is in its favor. We are willing to reconstruct and rehabilitate Afg from withing the meager resources Pakistan have, but you see what, allow me to be blunt on this, Afg has been spoon fed for quite long now. Starting from the Western aid and ending up (or still continuing) in the form of indian 'aid'. You people have raised your standards to an extent where it may not be possible for a country like Pakistan to meet your expectations.

Still, i would reiterate that we are all willing to support you guys in whatever form it may be. We can train your military. But wait! What was that? FYI, the ISAF is spending USD 9 Billion annually on the Afghan defence forces aka ANA. According to my sources you people have gone so used to the western uniforms, weapons, chow-halls and training that it might not be possible for a country like Pakistan to come up to that standard. Now this is one.

Two, the US is planning an exit from Afg, but guess what the biggest problem for them in leaving Afg is not the fear that the Talibans and party would re-raise themselves after the exodus but the fact that what should be done with a LARGE Army which have been nibbling on USD 9 billion each year after the US leaves Afg?! Who is going to maintain that Army? Who would be willing to pay $ 9 Bn annually to you people? Now if this doesnt happen, what are the odds that the 'trained' ANA would not go back that drain hole and join the warlords they have once left again? But more importantly we have to look towards that fact that what if this 'trained' military turns against the very hand that they long to sustain them- my indication is towards Pakistan.

Ok, we should train you military. But there's a little problem. You know what, we take like 15-18 years to make a guud Lieutenant Colonel, we take another 10 years to make a senior commander, may be like a Brigadier and so on and so forth. So, would we be able to do it when it comes to Afg?

i dont know that Afg has a taxation system in place, i dont know if you have a system of revenue generation, so i dont know how would you people are going to maintain that military of yours.

All said, we consider Afg a friend. We know that a stable Afg is in our best interest. And be assured that we dont want to CONTROL Afg, no! All we want is a stable and prosperous Afg upon whom we can rely. Upon whom we can trust as we trust other Muslim Nations/Countries. For that to happen we have to support you and we are ready to do it, but then you guys have to come down to our standards before this happens.

On other hand Pakistan can not run away from reality that this Durand Line has divided brother from brother. On what basis will Pakistani Government ask for it to be made permanent? It can not be Ethnic reasons because, as I mentioned earlier, it is exactly the same population mercilessly divided into two. It can not be on religious basis as both populations have exactly same religious ideology. It can not be on geographical lines as we have perfect accesses to each other. So on what basis can Pakistani Government ask for this evil divide to be made permanent?

See, you screwed up again.

On one hand you ask our 'forgiveness' but at the same time you poke and probe us. No guud, no guud dear!


You asked about the relation between Afg and Pakistan, well the answer is simple. We should stay together as any other two Muslim neighboring countries do. What's so hard in it? Brothers were also divided between Pakistan and india so can they be divided between Pakistan and Afg. An international border will not be a hurdle in this case if one dont try to make it one. Believe me.

 

[Tiki Tam Tam]

Strategic depth is a term in military terminology that broadly refers to the distances between the front lines or battle sectors and the combatants’ industrial core areas, capital cities, heartlands, and other key centers of population or military production. The key precepts any military commander must consider when dealing with strategic depth are how vulnerable these assets are to a quick, preemptive attack or to a methodical offensive and whether a country can withdraw into its own territory, absorb an initial thrust, and allow the subsequent offensive to culminate short of its goal and far from its source of power.

From the military terminology, Afghanistan, being a foreign country, cannot be Pakistan's strategic depth.

Russian Asia during WWII was Russia's strategic depth.

 

[Xeric]

@TTT

As you have pointed out correctly, Strat Depth in Afg-Pak case merely means a stable, peaceful and friendly Afghanistan and that's about it.

Now i dont understand which part of these three words people dont understand?

 

[Brotherhood]

Strategic depth is a term in military terminology that broadly refers to the distances between the front lines or battle sectors and the combatants’ industrial core areas, capital cities, heartlands, and other key centers of population or military production. The key precepts any military commander must consider when dealing with strategic depth are how vulnerable these assets are to a quick, preemptive attack or to a methodical offensive and whether a country can withdraw into its own territory, absorb an initial thrust, and allow the subsequent offensive to culminate short of its goal and far from its source of power.

From the military terminology, Afghanistan, being a foreign country, cannot be Pakistan's strategic depth.

Russian Asia during WWII was Russia's strategic depth.

Did our copycat professional happened to forget to quote the source again?
I thought webmaster repeatly insisted we need to provide the source?
Or perhaps you intentionally made it like your own words one more time?

Strategic depth is a term in military literature that broadly refers to the distances between the front lines or battle sectors and the combatants’ industrial core areas, capital cities, heartlands, and other key centers of population or military production. The key precepts any military commander must consider when dealing with strategic depth are how vulnerable these assets are to a quick, preemptive attack or to a methodical offensive and whether a country can withdraw into its own territory, absorb an initial thrust, and allow the subsequent offensive to culminate short of its goal and far from its source of power.

The term reached media attention when General Zia-ul-Haq used it in reference to Pakistan's utilization of Afghanistan following the neighboring country's Soviet invasion, to prevent encirclement from a hostile India and a USSR-supported Afghanistan. It was promoted by Zia's successor as army chief, General Mirza Aslam Beg, and was continued as an active policy by the Pakistan Army under chiefs Pervez Musharraf and Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, following the American-led war in Afghanistan in 2001.

Commanders must be able to plan for both eventualities, and have measures and resources in place on both tactical and strategic levels to counter any and all stages of a minor or major enemy attack. These measures do not need to be limited to purely military assets, either - the ability to reinforce civilian infrastructure or make it flexible enough to withstand or evade assault is very valuable in times of war. The issue was the trade-off between space and time as witnessed by Germany’s failure to knock out the Soviet Union in 1942. The Soviet retreat, in the face of the German attack, from Poland in June 1941 to the outskirts of Moscow in December 1941, allowed the Soviet Union to move its industrial base to the east of the Ural Mountains.

The term is also the title of the main publication of Ahmet Davutoğlu in drafting the new foreign policy of Turkey.
Strategic depth - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

PS, i think the management really need to take serious action on such repeated "copycat" violation issue, cos its will degrade the reputation of the forum.

 

[Tiki Tam Tam]

Sweetheart,

It says the same thing in Staff Duties in the Field, Glossary of Military Terms.

We know it by heart so to say.

Have you ever seen a Staff Duties in the Field, Glossary of Military Terms in your life?

If you haven't, then just co.ck up as the British say.

Do you think I will play into the hands of vulture like folks to swoop down by quoting the Wiki without a link?

If Wikipedia states so, then they have taken it from the Glossary.

Got that old chap?

Try as you might, Han tricks won't work.

I cannot be ganged up against the way you did to the so called barbarians of China and force them to acknowledge they are Hans!!

I am not a Cantonese or a Wu, Yue or whatever.

 

[Tiki Tam Tam]

The term reached media attention when General Zia-ul-Haq used it in reference to Pakistan's utilization of Afghanistan following the neighboring country's Soviet invasion, to prevent encirclement from a hostile India and a USSR-supported Afghanistan. It was promoted by Zia's successor as army chief, General Mirza Aslam Beg, and was continued as an active policy by the Pakistan Army under chiefs Pervez Musharraf and Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, following the American-led war in Afghanistan in 2001.

I would not copy such a foolish site that does not understand what is 'strategic depth'.

Under no circumstance, as per the Military Glossary, can Afghanistan be the 'strategic depth' of Pakistan.

That is why the Pakistan Army does not use this term to define Afghanistan!

So, you can just stand down and quit thinking that you are an oversmart like a parvenu!

The trouble with you all is that you are so unlettered and so prone to spouting propaganda and devious, skulduggery to achieve you aim by crook!

Peaceful Rise of China and then go claiming the world and threaten all. Peaceful indeed!!

 

[Dr-Sangeen]

I am a Pakistani. I thought you guys knew that… but probably I was expecting too much from barrel heads of Kakul.

Tiami and Xeric, you guys can tow ISPR’s line all you like but we are free thinking Pakistanis and we do not think of Afghanistan as a separate state…. Sorry but we don’t … you guys may be very content with the fact that there are “brothers” living on other side of border in India so what if we create few more separations on our western side. Probably that was the motivation when Yahya ordered to kill few million Bengalis to quell the rebellion in then East Pakistan; I don’t think I need to remind you the consequence of that. So yes Pakistani military junta is not new to losing brothers across the borders and chopping up the country.

I know you are being watched by Indian fan boys here, and you would like others Pakistanis to say A for Apple, B for Balloon … Yes Sir three bags full Sir, so the Indians can have the impression that all is A OK. If burying your head in sand makes you feel better then by all means please do that. I will rather confront the problem; after all I am ethnically Afghan and you guys remain barrel-heads from Kakul.

I will let you guys in on some historical facts from the past…. I have personally checked these facts with Aslam Khattak, he happened to be close relative of ours.

“……According to many historians including Humayun Gauhar and Aslam Khattak (” A Pathan Odyssey) a confederation almost happened with Afghanistan in 1956.

The missed opportunity came in 1956-57 when Aslam Khattak was first our First Secretary and then Ambassador in Kabul. By then we had a full-blown ‘Afghan Problem’. Prime Minister Suharawardhy called a meeting in which Army Chief General Ayub Khan “dismissed our neighboring country in proper Sandhurst style. ‘Afghan problem?’ he said gruffly. ‘What is the Afghan problem? A little strategic bombing and an armoured thrust would settle it once and for all!.’” It was then that Pakistan, with Aslam Khattak in ‘Track Two’ mode, so to speak, started the proposal for a Pakistan-Afghan confederation. He wanted to get Prime Minister Sardar Daud on his side because “Daud honestly believed that the Pathans were oppressed in Pakistan. He considered it a duty to help his brethren. He may also have been suspicious about the ‘A’, for Afghan (Afghanica) province in Pakistan. Did it mean we wanted to take over his country? At the same time, we thought that Daud was in league with India and bent upon dividing our country with Delhi. As was often the case in such circumstance, both sides were wrong.” Daud was King Zahir Shah’s first cousin and married to the King’s sister. It was he who eventually deposed Zahir Shah. Khattak went to see Daud and told him that he wanted “to remove the misunderstanding between our countries…”

But consider. If the confederation had happened, it would have automatically meant the end of the Parity Principle and One Unit because the anti-democratic 1956 Constitution would have had to be changed. There would have been no Ayub Khan regime and East Pakistan may still have been with us. The Soviets would not have such a large country. No Soviet occupation means no Jihad. No Jihad means no Mujahideen. The Americans could not have created Osama bin Laden. No Osama means no 9/11. Source Humayun Gauhar

Next, Khattak separately met the “royal uncles”, Shah Wali and Shah Mahmood, and took them into confidence. “I told him that Pakistan and Afghanistan would have to form a confederation if they were to survive threats from the USSR and India.” After considerable humming and hawing both agreed to take the idea further. “Now I was ready to try my hand with Sardar Daud, whom I thought would be my most difficult hurdle.” After Daud had made his complaints and Khattak had clarified them, including the letter ‘A’ in the name ‘Pakistan’, they decided that there should be an exchange of visits between King Zahir Shah and President Iskander Mirza. Actually both President Mirza and Prime Minister Suhrawardy went to Kabul together, which is highly unusual. While King and President were involved in ceremony, the two Prime Ministers started talking. After they left, Khattak continued the dialogue with Daud, who “suggested that we include some friendly missions in our discussions, such as Turkey and the USA. Sardar Daud said that the Americans should foot the bill of our mutual development projects when we confederated. Both sides would maintain internal autonomy, he proposed, but they would form a Central Government for defence, foreign policy, foreign trade and communications. The Prime Ministers would rotate.”

If you are surprised at how far the dialogue went, there was more. Feroz Khan Noon had replaced Suhrawardy as Prime Minister. Khattak raised the question of head of state of the confederation with him. “In his grand way [Noon] said we should have no difficulty accepting King Zahir Shah as the constitutional head of state. ‘After all, for some time after independence we had a Christian queen. Now we would have a Muslim man’. President Mirza concurred in this.” When Khattak next met Daud, he said that “…a confederation was the correct step to realise our common destiny. I noted that Pakistan was a democratic country and asked what would be the position of the King. He promptly replied, ‘We shall be a republic if Pakistan so desires.’” So here was Pakistan ready to accept the constitutional monarchy of Zahir Shah in the new Pak-Afghan confederation and there was Afghanistan prepared to become a republic.

As to the USA, Aslam Khattak says, “The Americans agreed to help in a big way. They were prepared to enlarge Karachi harbour and to develop another port. They agreed to provide fifty locomotives and five hundred wagons and to extend the Chaman railway to Kandahar and the Torkham rail line to Jalalabad. Sardar Daud wanted them to extend the Jalalabad railhead to Kabul and to commit to connect Kandahar and Kabul by rail.” They had actually got into post-confederation details.

Then came mistakes. Daud came to Pakistan and while inspecting a shipyard in Karachi a bullet ricocheted off a ship and hit Aslam Khattak instead. Undaunted, they decided to bring Ghaffar Khan into the equation. He was released from prison and sent to Kabul, where he agreed to help in removing Pakistan-Afghan differences provided President Mirza agreed to hold a referendum on the One Unit. Mirza agreed. The American Ambassador in Karachi assured Ghaffar Khan through the American Ambassador in Kabul that the referendum would be held. But it wasn’t. “I have never known,” says Aslam Khattak, “exactly why he did not go ahead and do the job that he said he would. He may have got word from some important Pathans in Pakistan that, if the Afghans stopped speaking about the Pushtuns, the Punjabis would literally turn them into camp followers and second-class citizens. At any rate a great chance to change the face of history was missed.”

An opportunity was missed and a great mistake was made. We are living with the consequences of that missed opportunity. OR IS IT?

 

[Spring Onion]

I am a pakistani.

but bit confused like those ultra nationalist commies who claims to be Pukhtuns but infact their brain is still influenced by surposhs . hope you got what i mean.

anyway mong taso ta harkalay wayoo pa khpal forum kay. umeed day chay da afrasyab pa shant munafiqat ba na kay zamong kaam sara

 

[Ahmad]

I am a pakistani.

Dear Dr Sahib,
i am a bit confused here?

 

[Ahmad]

but bit confused like those ultra nationalist commies who claims to be Pukhtuns but infact their brain is still influenced by surposhs . hope you got what i mean.

anyway mong taso ta harkalay wayoo pa khpal forum kay. umeed day chay da afrasyab pa shant munafiqat ba na kay zamong kaam sara

that wasnt particularly pleasant Harkalay lol.