What is the history behind the Afghanistan–Pakistan tension?

Much of it goes back to the Durand Line, the 2,640 km border drawn in 1893 between British India and Afghanistan by British official Mortimer Durand.

The line cut through lands of the Pashtun people, splitting communities between the two sides. When Pakistan was created in 1947, it inherited the border, but Afghanistan has never formally recognised it.

Over the decades, tensions grew over Pashtun nationalism, refugees, cross-border militancy, and Pakistan’s involvement in Afghan politics, including its past support for the Taliban. Since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, relations have actually worsened, with clashes along the border and disputes over militant groups. See the main point of contention between Afghanistan and Pakistan on MindStick Q&A.