DND Report
During an interview with Afghan Times in Kabul’s Shahed Gah area, Deputy Governor Qudratullah Amini expressed strong sentiments regarding Pakistan. He stated:
“If we receive authorization from the Amir al-Mu’minin Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada Sahib, our Mujahideen are prepared to enter Pakistan, seize territory, and eliminate those deemed un-Islamic. Furthermore, he articulated an intent to target pregnant women in a manner described as removing wombs to prevent future generations from posing a threat to Afghanistan.”
These comments from an Afghan could be shocking, disgusting, and an act of sheer mania for a person who does not know the poetry of Bulleh Shah and Waris Shah and who has not read Afghan history. There is a person within Pakistan’s power structure, Khawaja Asif, who is the Defence Minister. He is a literary person, having command of the history of Punjab, and often his comments have a historical background when he talks about Afghans. Mostly, his comments are not liked by those who are still in love with the “Pak-Afghan Bhai Bhai” mantra. But Khawaja Asif has always dared to talk about the history of Afghans and their cultural dynamics. Any educated person who knows the history of Punjab well knows what Afghans are. However, certain circles within Pakistan still try to say that ‘Afghan Taliban’ are brutal and hateful towards Pakistan, but other Afghans are sweeter than sugar. Even today, we are shy to tell history to our young nation and try to bail out Afghans as a nation. There are several reasons for this ‘artful’ narrative, but it is as dangerous as when Pakistan invited Afghans in the early 1980s, because even at that time historians, anthropologists, writers, and academicians were warning that Pakistan had taken a disastrous step and that future generations would pay for it. It is true that at least three generations have paid for this reckless and senseless move of opening the gates of Pakistan to Afghans. The voices were first raised in the former NWFP against inviting Afghans into Pakistan because Pashtuns knew the Afghan mindset, its brutality, and the habit of stabbing friends in the back. Unfortunately, such voices were ignored by Islamabad.
Today, responding to the propaganda of the Afghan government, Khawaja Asif sent an X message, and its translation is produced hereunder:
“Claims are coming from those who attack mosques, martyred worshippers with their heads bowed, target unarmed citizens, markets, and schools, and bathe innocent children in blood. Smuggling drugs is their source of income. People who kill good people are attacking the state that has provided them with shelter for fifty years. They do not honor the commitments they make and demand billions of rupees in ransom to fulfill those commitments. The soil of Pakistan not only gave shelter to them (Afghans) but also clashed with a superpower for them (USSR). It has hosted three generations of people (Afghans). We have made many mistakes in our 78-year history, but this hospitality is the most blatant mistake. May Allah forgive us, Amen.”
Khawaja Asif, as always, is brave enough to accept mistakes Pakistan committed in the past, and he is brave enough to call for fixing them.
The rhetoric that Afghans had never been ruled is nothing but propaganda, and it is unfortunate to say that in the past, Pakistani writers, journalists, and state spokespersons also spread this untrue information among the masses because it was the demand of the then Afghan Jihad. However, the true history of Afghans indicates that, except for the brief period of Ahmad Shah Abdali, Afghans had always been ruled by foreigners, and the modern state of ‘Afghanistan’ was a gift of the British Raj as a buffer state between the Russian Empire and the British Empire. Khawaja Asif has been sharing this history in pieces with Pakistani youth through his X messages and televised talks. It is appropriate to share that history here to correct fallacies about the bravery of Afghans and their touted history.
There has been a cliché that foreigners have never ruled Afghanistan, and it is also contrary to history to claim that Afghans defeated invaders. This cliché was deliberately developed by British historians, and the same fabricated history has been taught in history books even after the British Empire left the subcontinent. It is also a cliché that Afghans do not allow “foreign boots” on their soil, whereas this soil has historically been under the hooves of the running horses of invaders and foreign rulers.
Historically, Afghans ruled Afghanistan only for a short period during the Durrani Empire (1747–1823), and that too with the direct support of the British Empire. London wanted a buffer state against the Russian Empire, which had extended into Central Asia, while the British Empire was dismantling Muslim rulers and local princely states with the active help of Afghan invaders to expand its control in the Indo-Subcontinent. Afghans were encouraged and financially supported by British Army officers and undercover agents to attack Punjab, which was the only region left resisting British forces. In Hazara, British officers used a “religious card” against Sikh rulers, making the ‘British war with Punjab’ as ‘war of Sikhs’ because Hazara was unconquerable for British forces, which had already subdued other parts of the Indo-Subcontinent.
Before going into detail about the ruthless defeats Afghans faced at the hands of the Punjab forces (that British writers deliberately called Sikh forces), one should examine over 3,000 years of Afghanistan’s history to understand that the cliché “Afghanistan has never been ruled by foreigners” is categorically contrary to historical perspectives.
Afghanistan has been under the control of many empires, including the Persians, Alexander the Great, the Maurya Empire, Arab Muslims, the Mongols, Uzbeks (Amir Taimur—Babur—Mughal Empire), Takht-e-Lahore of Raja Ranjit Singh, the British Empire, and for a short period, the Soviet Union.
In 3,000 years of history, Afghans have almost always been ruled by foreigners, except for some years during the Durrani Empire (1747–1823), and that too with the direct support of the British Empire. The modern independent state of Afghanistan was also a creation of the British Empire to address its concerns regarding the rising influence of Russia in Turkestan.
While studying the history of Afghanistan, it should be remembered that the Ghaznavid dynasty was neither a Pashtun nor an Afghan dynasty; rather, it was a Persianate Muslim dynasty of Turkic mamluk origin (from the Eurasian Steppe) that ruled Afghanistan as the Ghaznavid Empire from 977. In 1040, the Seljuq Turkmens defeated the Ghaznavids at the Battle of Dandanaqan, resulting in the loss of Ghaznavid territories in Iran and Central Asia (Ref: Encyclopaedia Britannica).
Historically, the modern state of Afghanistan began in the 18th century with the short-lived Durrani Afghan Empire (1747–1772). Maharaja Ranjit Singh did not allow Afghans to enjoy their hegemony, and an 18-year-old boy from Gujranwala (Punjab) continued launching offensives against Afghans until they were completely rooted out of Punjab.
To understand what Afghan looters were doing in Punjab, one should review the poetry of Sufi saints Waris Shah (1722–1798) and Bulleh Shah (1680–1757), who expressed that Afghans were not only looting Punjab but were also raping women and children regardless of their religious background, and looting every home that had money or grain. This could be one reason why the poetry of Sufi Punjabi poets was discouraged by British rulers, as it revealed the true face of British-backed Afghan looters.
The first conquest of Lahore by Ahmad Shah Durrani took place on 12 January 1748, while his eighth (the ninth attempt was abandoned at Jhelum upon learning that Lahore forces were waiting for him with a large force) and last attack on Lahore was on 17 January 1767. Western historians have often avoided discussing the circumstances that forced Ahmad Shah Durrani to attack Lahore eight times in just 19 years. If Ahmad Shah Durrani had subjugated Takht-i-Lahore, there would have been no need for repeated invasions. Oral history in Punjab, which is yet to be fully documented academically, indicates that the youth of Punjab did not allow Afghans to rule peacefully, and the constant struggle over 19 years made it unbearable for Afghans to maintain control. The most they could do was loot, plunder, and retreat, leaving behind agents who were eventually forced to flee to Kabul.
After receiving reports of the mass slaughter of Afghans, Ahmad Shah announced “Jihad” (holy war) against forces from Lahore, calling them the ‘Sikh Army,’ but his march towards Punjab was defeated in 1764.
On 12 January 1748, Ahmad Shah Durrani, with alleged financial support from British Army officers, invaded and occupied Lahore, forcing the Mughal governor, Shah Nawaz Khan, to flee to Delhi. Lahore was left at the mercy of Afghan forces, and much of the city was burned after being looted. This compelled the youth of Punjab to rise against these attacks. After invading Lahore, Ahmad Shah Durrani attempted to advance further but was defeated at the Battle of Manupur (March 1748) by the Mughals in alliance with Sikh forces. He fled the battlefield and returned to Kandahar. During his retreat, Lahore forces under Charat Singh, Jassa Singh Ahluwalia, and Ala Singh killed thousands of retreating Afghan soldiers. This boosted the confidence of Punjab’s youth that they could defeat Afghan forces in the region. Nawab Kapur Singh then formed the Dal Khalsa by combining the military forces of 11 Sikh misls at a ceremony in Amritsar in March 1748. Lahore was fully retaken on 12 April 1752.
On 11 November 1757, Afghans won the Battle of Gohalwar under Timur Shah Durrani. However, in September 1761, they suffered defeat while attempting to capture Gujranwala, losing over 4,000 men and eventually losing control of territories from the Sutlej to the Indus, including Jalandhar Doab, Sarhind, Rachna, and Chaj Doabs.
In October 1762, Ahmad Shah Durrani attacked Amritsar. In November 1763, Sikh forces adopted a new strategy near Sialkot, leading to the Battle of Sialkot, where Afghan forces were encircled and defeated after three days of intense fighting. Following this, Lahore forces gained control over key areas such as Malerkotla, Morinda, and Rohtas Fort. Reports of Afghan losses enraged Ahmad Shah, who declared Jihad and sought support from other Muslim rulers, but his campaign was again defeated in 1764.
In 1765, Ahmad Shah marched again to Punjab but retreated to Kabul at night when Lahore forces encircled his camp. He again attacked Lahore in 1767, but after suffering losses and supply disruptions, he retreated permanently and died in 1772.
The Battle of Amritsar in 1798 finally removed Afghan influence from Punjab when Ranjit Singh, the grandson of Sardar Charat Singh, defeated the Afghan army at the age of 17. Afghan ruler Shah Shuja Durrani later attempted to reassert control, but Ranjit Singh strategically allowed Afghan forces into Lahore, encircled them, cut off supplies, and forced their retreat.
In 1799, Ranjit Singh’s forces captured Lahore, and in 1802, he took Amritsar. After repeated Afghan incursions, Ranjit Singh decided to carry the conflict into Afghan territories. Beginning with victories such as the Battle of Kasur (1807), he defeated Afghan chiefs and expanded control. By 1819–1820, he had captured Kashmir and Srinagar after defeating Afghan forces at the Battle of Shopian.
Having secured Hazara, Kashmir, and surrounding regions, Ranjit Singh encircled Afghan territories and eventually moved towards Kabul. Under pressure, Afghan rulers signed a Tripartite Treaty with Ranjit Singh and the British. In 1838, Ranjit Singh entered Kabul to restore Shah Shuja to the throne.
Ranjit Singh, the “Lion of Punjab,” was the first in centuries to reverse the pattern of Afghan invasions into India. Following this period, the British gained control of Afghanistan after the Third Anglo-Afghan War and established the Kingdom of Afghanistan in 1921.
The British Empire played a decisive role in shaping Afghanistan as a nation-state. Ahmad Shah Durrani had multiple contacts with the British. The Treaty of Gandamak (1879) marked the beginning of formal British control over Afghanistan’s foreign policy. During the reign of Abdur Rahman Khan (1880–1901), Afghanistan’s modern borders were defined by British and Russian agreements, creating a buffer state with limited Afghan autonomy.
The Treaty of Gandamak was also the first official agreement in which the British used the term “Afghanistan” as a nation-state. It enabled the consolidation of power under Abdur Rahman Khan and ensured British strategic interests against Russian expansion in Turkestan.
Though Bullah Shah wrote very extensively about the brutality of Afghans but only two stanzas of Bullah Shah are reproduced under to give an example what thinkers and saints thought about Afghans. Waris Shah also wrote extensively against brutal phase of Afghans in Punjab.
بُلھّا کی دیکھیا دنیا وچ؟
ظالم آون تلوار نال ہتھ وچ۔
اوہ زمین تے جوڑدے نیں پیر،
پر سچے دل والے نئیں ہونڈدے جھک۔
راج اُٹھدے نیں، فوجاں ڈگدیاں نیں،
پر ظالم سوچدا اے سب قابو وچ اے۔
جو دل خدا نال رل کے ہوندا،
اوہنوں نہ افغاں دا ڈر، نہ ہور کوئی جار
“Bullah, what have you seen in the world?
The oppressors come with swords in hand.
They trample the land of the free,
But the soul of the true never bends.
بُلھّا دنیاں دے راج نوں نہ جھک،
انہاں دا سونا تے طاقت فانی نیں۔
زمین ساڈی، لہو ساڈا،
کسی پردیسی پائی نال ایہ نہ لبھدا
Kingdoms rise and armies fall,
Yet the tyrant thinks he conquers all.
The heart that is united with God
Knows no fear of Afghan or invader.”
“Bullah, do not bow to worldly kings,
Their gold and might are fleeting things.
The soil is ours, our blood is ours,
No foreign boot can claim these lands.”
Waris Shah wrote:
“اوہ ویلے آئے افغان مارے
لوٹ مار، قتل و غارت سارے
ہیر دیاں وادیاں ویران کیتیاں
پنجاب دیاں مٹی خون نال نچڑیں”
“At that time, the Afghans came and struck,
Looting, killing, and destroying everything,
The valleys of Heer lay desolate,
The soil of Punjab soaked and danced with blood.”
References
- Griffin, Luke. The Pre-Islamic Period. In Afghanistan: A Country Study.
- Archambault, Hannah. Afghan Circulations in the Persianate World, c. 1000–1800.
- Encyclopaedia Britannica. Entry on Ghaznavid Empire and Battle of Dandanaqan (1040).
- Grewal, J. S. The Sikhs of Punjab.
- Mirza, Shafqat Tanvir. “Afghan Invaders and Waris Shah.” Daily Dawn.
- Soofi, Mushtaq. “Bulleh Shah: Demystifying Mystic Fires.” Daily Dawn.
- Tariq, Muhammad, and Altaf Qadir. Sikh–Pakhtun Clashes in the Frontier: Assessing the Battle of Pir Sabak (Nowshera) 1832.
- Singha, Bhagata. A History of the Sikh Misals.
- Perry, James. Arrogant Armies.
- Smith, Cynthia. The Great Game and Afghanistan.
- Toriya, Masato. Afghanistan as a Buffer State Between Regional Powers in the Late Nineteenth Century: An Analysis of Internal Politics Focusing on Local Actors and British Policy.
