Pakistani troops continue to despise Pashtun tribes: Report

Kabul, Afghanistan and Pakistan, November 20: Afghan-Pak border tribes are increasingly being targeted by Pakistani forces for its insistence to paint its own view on the border dispute with the neighbouring country, which has claimed innocent lives, according to columnist Hamid Pakteen, who argues that poor tribals from both countries are at the heart of the conflict, which lies at the Durand Line, which was established under British colonial rule.Afghanistan has consistently rejected all Durand Line agreements, arguing that British pressure was applied to Afghan rulers.The Durand Line, which connects the two countries, but also the Pashtuns, has been a point of contention between the two nations, however, they have remained silent on a variety of human rights issues.According to sources, it has recently become the trigger for rising border tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, especially as a result of the struggle for the Pashtun homeland.Although Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of harbouring Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) on its territory, the Taliban do not recognize the Durand Line, which separates the two countries and divides the home of ethnic Pashtuns.

Instead, the Afghan Taliban mediated talks between Islamabad and the Pakistani Taliban, which resulted in the freeing of dozens of TTP prisoners in Pakistan, according to Al Arabiya.Pakteen said that the last year has been particularly turbulent, with many cases of Pakistan Army drones firing and violating Afghan airspace in the region.However, this time around, Taliban-led Afghanistan is eager to confront Pakistan on the continuing hostilities.According to Pakteen, the Taliban administration has made it clear that it is not able to offer further assistance to Islamabad due to its recent actions.