Nations are known by their history and their character. Some are grateful; others are not. Sadly, Afghanistan continues to display a level of ingratitude that history will never forgive.
Today, as the Afghan Interior Minister visits India and stands beside S. Jaishankar, openly spitting venom against Pakistan, one cannot help but ask — what crime has Pakistan committed to deserve such hostility?
If we turn the pages of history, the truth becomes evident. Until 1979, Afghanistan was a complacent, pleasure-seeking society, immersed in its own indulgence. But when the Soviet Union invaded, global politics took a sharp turn. The West, already fearful of communism’s spread, found in Afghanistan a convenient battlefield. The United States and its allies, in their quest to counter the Soviet bloc, used Islam as a weapon and persuaded Afghans to wage a “holy war.”
The reality is that there is no justification in Western ideology for such proxy wars. Yet, lured by promises of power and wealth, Afghan fighters were drawn into a conflict that devastated their homeland.
During that turbulent time, millions of Afghans migrated to Pakistan — and Pakistan opened its doors with compassion. Our people shared their land, their food, and their homes. We treated them as brothers in faith. But some natures never change, and ingratitude is one of them.
Across the world, refugees are usually the elderly, women, and children. Yet from Afghanistan came a young and able-bodied generation — not seeking shelter, but opportunity. That wave altered Pakistan’s economy, culture, and social harmony forever. Before their arrival, Pakistan had no culture of drug trade or automatic weapons; terms like “heroin” and “Kalashnikov” were foreign to us. Abductions for ransom and violent crimes became widespread only after their entry.
Still, Pakistan stood firm in its humanity. For over four decades, we fed, sheltered, and educated Afghan refugees. Their children attended our schools; they received the same healthcare as our citizens; they ran businesses freely on our soil. And yet, many of these very people have now turned against their benefactor — Pakistan. Is there any greater example of betrayal in modern history?
When the Soviet Union was defeated, Afghanistan had a chance to rebuild. But greed for power, tribal rivalries, and foreign interference plunged the country into civil war. The Mujahideen who had fought together turned their guns on one another. Kabul became a battlefield soaked in blood. Seeing the chaos, the United States entered Afghanistan and, for two decades, occupied it under the guise of peacekeeping.
Even then, Pakistan remained a neighbor and a helper. We provided logistical, moral, and humanitarian support to millions of Afghans — despite our own limited resources. But when the U.S. withdrew and the Taliban government returned to power, the Afghan leadership turned its hostility toward Pakistan — their very lifeline for 45 years.
Today, the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), operating from Afghan soil, continues to attack our cities and border regions. Our soldiers and civilians are being martyred in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while the masterminds find safe haven across the border. The weapons, funding, and training for these militants clearly originate from Afghanistan.
And when Pakistan takes action against these terrorist networks, the Afghan government cries foul. The situation has now reached the absurd point where Afghan leaders travel to India — Pakistan’s arch-rival — and echo New Delhi’s anti-Pakistan rhetoric.
Is this not the same India that has historically used Afghanistan as a pawn in its regional politics? Has India ever truly supported Afghanistan’s development or stability? Of course not. India’s only goal is to isolate and weaken Pakistan. It will use Afghan soil for its own purposes — just as it has done time and again in the past.
Pakistan’s sacrifices for Afghanistan are countless. If Pakistan were to shut its borders today, close its markets, and withdraw the humanitarian privileges extended to Afghan nationals, millions would be left stranded. Yet, Pakistan has never played the oppressor — our humanity and Islamic values have kept us patient and compassionate.
But patience should not be mistaken for weakness. The time has come for Pakistan to reassess its policies. We must secure our borders, regulate and repatriate illegal refugees, and act decisively against all elements operating as proxies for foreign agendas. National security and stability cannot be compromised for misplaced sentiments of brotherhood.
The Afghan leadership, too, must awaken to reality. By sitting in India’s lap and firing guns from another’s shoulder, they are not serving Afghanistan’s interests — they are destroying them. No nation that betrays its benefactors or sells its dignity for political convenience ever prospers.
Pakistan continues to desire peace, friendship, and regional cooperation — but only on the basis of equality and mutual respect. If Afghanistan fails to change its course, it will once again be remembered not as a nation of heroes, but as a nation of ingratitude.