Asia 783
Coding changes: Outcome changed from Unclear. Settlement changed from None.
MID#2180
Dispute Number: 2180
Date(s): May 8, 1951
Participants: 700 Afghanistan/770 Pakistan
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (None)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: Afghani forces crossed into Pakistan and raided the village of Killi Wal-
ham. Pakistan formally protested.
MID#1305
Dispute Number: 1305
Date(s): May 4, 1955 to September 9, 1955
Participants: 770 Pakistan/700 Afghanistan
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (Negotiated)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: In 1947 the British offered the Northwest Frontier Province (NFP),
which mainly comprised Pakhtuns (Pashtuns), to join India or Pakistan. Afghanistan
objected on the grounds that the NFP was part of Afghanistan before the British drew
the Durand Line in 1893, which delimited the border between Afghanistan and Brit-
ish India. The Pakhtuns on both sides of the border formed a single ethnic unit. The
Pakistanis argued that the Pakhtuns in the disputed territory had developed cultural
differences from those in Afghanistan, that they had established stronger political and
economic ties with India, and that there were few Pakhtuns in parts of the disputed ter-
ritories. Afghani and Pakistani officials held talks over the disputed territory in 1947
and 1948, but they failed to reach an agreement. Afghanistan supported the creation of
Pakhtunistan in 1949, but Pakhtunistan never gained independence. In 1951 Pakistan
held elections in NFP, and the dispute quieted for a few years.
In 1955 Pakistan announced that the NFP would become part of a larger province,
West Pakistan. The Afghan government objected, arguing that the plan denied the
Pakhtun’s autonomy. On March 29, Afghani Prime Minister Daud Khan threatened
Pakistan in a broadcast, and the next day Afghanistan officially protested the plan to
the Afghan minister in Karachi. Over the next several days mobs attacked Pakistani
missions throughout Afghanistan; in addition, Afghanistan protested attacks on its
missions in Pakistan, although Pakistan denied that those had taken place. On April
4, the British, United States, and Turkey lodged protests with the Afghan government
over the attacks. The Afghani government sent a letter of apology to Pakistan, but the
Pakistani government demanded instead that the Afghans fly the Pakistani flag at a
military parade in Kabul.
On April 29, Afghanistan offered an unqualified apology, compensation for the
mob attacks, and amends “for the insult offered to the Pakistani flag, on condition
that similar amends were made for the insult offered to the Afghan flag at Pesha-
war.” Pakistan declined and then closed two consulates in Afghanistan and requested