What is the difference between a boundary and a frontier? In allegorical terms, if two persons have relations which are confined to certain terms and conditions, they are living within boundaries, but once relations reach new heights, and they start exploring limits, that is when new frontiers are reached. In terms of geography, a border is a geographical line which you can define; a frontier is something which ceases to exist the moment it is defined.
W.P Andrew in 1880 wrote in his famous book ‘Our Scientific Frontier’ about the means and techniques to manage the frontiers of present day Baluchistan, tribal areas and Afghanistan – which he referred to as the Scientific Frontier. A Scientific Frontier is a strategic frontier, whose strength lies in its loose definition but strict control through military, political, social and cultural means. Frontier, therefore, should be a more desired geographical term rather than border. Between Pakistan and India, lies a border, a well-defined, stoic line. Between Afghanistan and Pakistan, lies a lively, thriving, and vibrant frontier where, along Himalaya’s and Hindu Kush, centuries meet the mountains gorges under the cyclic rhythm of days, months, and years. You cannot stop the movement of people at a frontier, it being an osmosis membrane along geographical barriers. Frontiers are not lawless territory either, nor are these the places where ruffians and ravages live. Pakistan must understand this more than any other country, being custodians of the most elaborate frontier system on the Earth. Fencing of this frontier is actually a journey to redefine and secure the centuries-old legacy of bonhomie and co-existence between Afghanistan and Pakistan, especially when enemies of both have started using these frontiers for a two way destabilisation. USA is blaming Pakistan for its failure in Afghanistan. Justification from this side is leading to new accusations. The Chief of Army staff of Pakistan General Qamar Javed Bajwa has clearly demonstrated that Pakistan has already done enough and the time for do-more mantra is for others. This is being popularly called the Bajwa doctrine. There is a need of precedents to be made and to give the US State Department a refresher course on the history of this region. Britishers managed this frontier as a scientific frontier, knowing well that socially, physically and militarily it could not be converted into a border. Afghanistan, through bilateral agreement, was made a buffer state. They should study the Robert Sandeman model of managing Balochistan. Britishers, despite their thousand flaws, trained soldiers as soldier merchants and later as soldier scholars, who were imbibed in the local culture, sometimes more than the natives. They were trained to respect geography. Tribal areas and territories along Afghanistan are characterised to have three segments; first is the Indus River as the base line, second is mountains with passes, and third is the frontiers. The stretch of geography on both sides defines the mindset. The success of the Britishers was a result of their respect for the concept of clanliness.
US State Department has much less regards for clans due to their history of Anglo-Saxon merchants and explorers fighting and claiming lands from the red Indians for them, every clan or tribe in a territory to explore is a Cherokee or an Apache. Historically this part was always called as the Yagistan, the land of fierce, brave, independent and very democratic Pathans.
The jirga system is ingrained in the DNA of the people of this region. It is not the Malik who has to be aligned; it is actually his clan that is to be won over. Despite understanding these facts, Britishers fought and lost Afghan wars losing their respect as an empire. Again they missed out a lesson that these people can only be governed by an indigenous political dispensation of a loose character, where chieftain has a sway in their territories under a king or an overlord.
Just like the installment of Shah Shuja (ruler of Kabul in 19th century), that of Hamid Karazai or Ashraf Ghani may also result in an uprising of sorts.
The third mistake of the existing imperial power has been to blame others for its first two mistakes using slogans of safe heavens and double game.
The USA, therefore, is applying all the three wrongs and trying to correct it through 10,000 of its trainers, 300,000 of Afghan army and a public affairs corps, which incidentally cannot leave their compounds in the Wild West. Only option left for Pakistan to counter this blame game is to fence 1,500 miles long border at the cost of Rs532 million, this will have 11,000 border posts and 443 forts along with two main ports of entries (POE) at Torkhum and Chamman. All borders are actually political. Stable borders are highly dependent on a country’s internal, political and economic stability as well as that of its neighbors. In border management system architecture, three elements are important: one, the border with its POE’s defined; second, the countries’ perspective of its sovereign limits; and third, the regional system in which the borders system operate. USA is almost insensitive to these elements, being a child of Monroe doctrine. Pakistan is trying to improve its borders management architecture through fencing the scientific frontier.
USA is also stoking India to enhance broad spectrum relations with Afghanistan at the cost of Pakistan. That is why in October last year, Ashraf Ghani announced that Afghan-Pakistan Trade Agreement (APTA) has expired, which was signed in 2010 as a zero transit fee facility.
The global economy is at its largest scale in terms of volume of people and goods crossing national boundaries. Although 90 percent trade is done through maritime means but due to climate change in coming decade, land trade routes will be redefined as the cargo ships are blamed for being the heaviest polluters on earth. Fifteen cargo ships pollute air more than all the vehicles in the world. Pakistan, Afghanistan, and central Asia are left with no choice but to realign a land-based trade route across the frontier, this is the only way to challenge inequality, the Thomas Picketty way.
There is a silent revolution taking place in Afghanistan. Just in last couple of year 22 publishing houses along 64 book shops opened up in Kabul (during Taliban time, there was only two such facilities), there is a sudden rush to read amongst Afghan millennials. Rural Afghanistan is also benefiting from this silent revolution.
Pakistan needs to enhance comprehensive relations with Afghanistan, Pakistani books, vegetables, fruits and commodities reaching an Afghan household will replace release of adrenaline with dopamine.
Robert Sandman had two Hindu clerks, Hittu Ram and Diwan Ganpat Rai, as his advisers on tribal issues; USA has also hired the same stock but with a Machiavellian intent. Let us pray that publishing houses of Kabul print a crash course of history and dole out copies of Bajwa doctrine to the trainers who are too busy with their training manuals.
The writer is a freelance Journalist who contributes regularly on security related issues. He is also Ph.D. scholar who can be reached at sindhulatif@gmail.com.
Published in Daily Times, February 18th 2018.
