EU, U.S. need to revisit Durand Line to end Pak terror policy

Brussels [Belgium] 

Describing the Afghanistan-Pakistan region as the breeding ground for international terrorism, European Parliament (EP) Vice President Ryszard Czarnecki has said there is a need for the European Union and the United States to review their respective Afghan policy to foster long-term peace in the region, rather than pouring millions of Euros in aid to Afghanistan, and trying to win a war that cannot be won.

In an opinion piece titled "Time to Revisit the Durand Line" published in EP Today, Czarnecki warned that Pakistan will continue to interfere and destabilize areas across the Durand Line, with the objective of retaining control over it as it borders Afghanistan.

He suggests that there is an immediate need for the west to take a hard look at this artificial border, and restore the natural and historical frontier between these two countries for the sake of peace in the region.

"Balochistan and portions of the Pashtun-dominated tribal areas of Pakistan that were forcefully taken away and merged into British India need to be restored to their earlier status as the sovereign territory of Afghanistan," he said.

Czarnecki said the September 11, 2001 attack on the World Trade Centre in New York was a wake-up call for the West to re-visit its policy. Instead, they decided to send their troops to counter militants and allowed roots of the problem to fester.

"Since 2001, thousands of U.S. and European troops have lost their lives in Afghanistan and will continue to do so as long as we choose to bury our heads in the sand," he added. - More

EU, U.S. need to revisit Durand Line to end Pak terror policy ...