Mahmood Khan Achakzai, a member of Pakistan’s National Assembly and head of the Pakhtunkhwa Awami National Party, has said that if capable statesmen had been in power, people living on both sides of the Durand Line could have moved freely across the line.

Speaking during a podcast interview, Achakzai said that countries with histories of major conflict, including Russia, Germany and the United Kingdom, now maintain far more open borders despite past wars. He said that in many such regions, only a “paper line” remains, with limited border restrictions.

Drawing comparisons with the disputed Durand Line boundary between Afghanistan and Pakistan, Achakzai argued that a similar arrangement could have been possible in South Asia.

“What is the problem here? A Punjabi could dance in Kandahar and a Pashtun could come here. Even if we are not formally one country, we could have effectively functioned like one,” he said.

The Pakistani politician also referred to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the later U.S.-led intervention, saying Afghanistan has the right to seek war reparations from those countries to support reconstruction efforts.

Achakzai further criticised the treatment of Pashtuns in Pakistan, alleging that individuals in cities including Lahore and Karachi have faced detention and deportation.

علمای افغانستان «شهادت» مولانا محمد ادریس، یکی از علمای دینی پاکستان، را ضایعه‌ای بزرگ دانسته و جان‌باختن او را به تمامی علمای جهان، به‌ویژه جمعیت علمای اسلام پاکستان، تسلیت گفته‌اند.

علمای افغانستان در یک پیام تسلیت گفته‌اند: «از بین بردن علما ظلم بزرگی است که موجب خشم و غضب الله تعالی می‌گردد و جرمی غیرقابل بخشش به‌شمار می‌رود. ما علمای افغانستان چنین اعمال را به‌گونه جدی نکوهش و تقبیح می‌کنیم.»

آنان از حکومت پاکستان به‌طور جدی خواسته‌اند که از هدف قرار گرفتن علما جلوگیری کرده و تدابیر لازم را در این زمینه اتخاذ کند.

گفتنی است که مولانا محمد ادریس روز گذشته (سه‌شنبه) در یک حمله مسلحانه در ایالت خیبرپختونخوا پاکستان جان باخت.