On 11 June, an air strike by the US led forces from across the border, in Mohamand Agency killed 11 para military soldiers and 10 militants. And two days later Hamid Karzai, the Afghan President, warned of attacks across the Durand line, if the militants fail to cease their activities. Is there a link between the two? What caused the US to undertake this attack, knowing well its repercussions inside Pakistan and on US-Pakistan relations? Why did Karzai made that threat, despite the fact, the Afghan security forces are in no position to carry out such a military option?

The US action should be seen in terms of the larger American policy and strategies in Afghanistan and Pakistan vis-a-vis the War on Terrorism. The US policy on cross-Durand attacks has been consistent. Undoubtedly, as the opposition parties and civil society in Pakistan has been criticizing, no country has any legal right to carry out such attacks on another country.
Arguments relating to preemptive strikes and hot pursuit are not new in this region. For the last many years Kabul and US led troops in Afghanistan have been complaining of cross-border terrorism, having its base in Pakistan’s tribal areas.

Is Afghanistan attempting to establish new check posts along the Durand line, especially in disputed areas? Durand Line, was established after the agreement was signed in 1893 between the British India and Amir Abdur Rahman Khan, the then Afghan ruler, has not been accepted by subsequent Afghan governments. Even the Durand line, as finalized by Sir Moritime Durand, the then British Foreign Secretary was not completely demarcated. As a result, like in Mohamand Agency, there are serious contestations between the Governments of Kabul and Islamabad, on where exactly the Durand line runs in this region.

Besides the above basic question on Durand line, which is historical; the contemporary problems on Durand line relates primarily to cross border terrorism. What Pakistan conveniently ignores is the fact that Taliban, al Qaeda and their local supporters in Pakistan are using the tribal regions as a base to fight the Afghan and US led forces in Afghanistan. Besides, Islamabad has never been able to provide a satisfactory answer to the US led forces on the question of continuing support to the militants by a section within Pakistan’s security apparatus.

Immediately after the 11 June attack on its check post, Pakistan complained that attacking friendly forces was not the way to wage the War against Terrorism. In fact, the US and Afghanistan has been complaining Pakistan, on the same count for the last few years. The truth is Pakistan is not keen on supporting the US led forces in Afghanistan. Its immediate objective is to secure an understanding with the Taliban, al Qaeda and its local supporters, so that there is no violence within its tribal regions. Attempts made by Islamabad and Peshawar to strike a deal with the militants primarily aim at securing peace within Pakistan’s territory. Unfortunately, such initiatives have never been serious regarding completely preventing cross border terrorism, which has been the major concerns of the US and Afghanistan.

But the real question remains that do such cross border attacks and threats really help, the War against Terrorism?