DEVELOPMENT OF PUSHTOONISTAN PROBLEM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79R00890A000500040031-4
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 19, 2000
• Sequence Number: 31
• Publication Date: April 20, 1955
• Content Type: BRIEF

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EYELOPME1jPOY FUSH-TOO? I STAN PROBLEM
1. In ethnographic terms, both south and
southeastern Afghanistan and parts of
the Northwest Frontier Province and the
Baluchistan area of southwest Pakistan
are inhabited by Afghan tribes who speak
Pushtu language.
A. Present Afghan royal family, which
stems from Durani Afghan tribe,
gained control of country in 1834.
II. British-Afghan boundary decision lays
basis for current Pushtoonistan problem.
A. "Durand Line," separating Afghanistan
from British India, was established
in 1893 by.Sir Mortimer Durand (repre-
seating British India) and Afghan
ruler at that time, Asir Abdur Rahman.
B. "Line" was established in effort to
check mutual encroachments on each
other's claimed territory.
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south and southeastern limits of
Amir's dominions.
2. Each party pledged not to inter-
fere in territory across
"Durand Line."
C. Neither lived up wholly to letter of
agreement in subsequent years.
1. Afghans continued interest in
tribes, some of which were split
by Durand Line into Afghan and
Indian portions.
2. British continued to exert mili-
tary and political influence in
Afghanistan to halt southward
march of Russian power.
III. Present Pushtoonistan dispute arose as
result of Afghan propaganda campaign
instituted after creation of Pakistan.
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drawal from India nullified boundary
p41-4
treaty and argued that Pushtu-
speaking Afghan tribesmen inhabiting
new state of Pakistan should be per-
mitted to establish autonomous state.
B. No mention made of Afghan tribesmen
inside Afghanistan (who represent
only one of several major tribal
groups within the country and con-
stitute only 44 percent of popula-
tion) also joining autonomous state
of Pushtoonistan.
IV. Pakistan claims there is no basis for
Afghan argument, that Pak inherited all
territory east of"Durand Line." Pak
claim supported by following evidence:
A. In July 1947, government of British
India held plebiscite in "administered'
(i.e. settled) areas of Northwest
Frontier Province.
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'''Y. 99.5 percent of vote fared
belonging to Pakistan rather
than to India.
B. Simultaneously, British officials
canvassed opinion in Northwest
Frontier Province's "unadministered"
tribal districts and obtained state-
ments of tribal desires to join
Pakistan.
C. After founding of Pakistan (15 Aug
'47), Pakistani government again ob-
tained statements of loyalty from
tribal leaders in frontier area.
D. Pak stand on tribes was made official
on 27 June 1950, when Pakistani
government issued a formal "Notifi-
cation" stating "Whereas the inhabi-
tants of the (tribal) areas...have,
through their accredited representa-
tives, declared their territories to
be a part of the Federation of
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1,15th day of August 1947...t'he
areas aforesaid shall be deemed to
have been included in the ?edera
tion...as from the 15th day of
August, 1947."
V. Liquidation of Pushtoonistan issue by
amalgamation or erection autonomous
state would involve unacceptable costs
to one or other of parties.
A. If all Pushtu-speakers were detached
from Afghanistan, nation would
lose both capital (Kabul) and royal
family, as well an 44% of population.
B. If Pushtus detached from Pakistan,
defense of all Rest Pakistan (now
based on Khyber) would be nearly
impossible.
C. Autonomous state, moreover, would be
economically unviable, and present
even more troublesome political
hotbed than at present.
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