The Social, Political and Economic Effects of Afghan War on Pakistan

Afghanistan is a conflict-ridden state for more than last three decades and, Pakistan as a front-line state is affected very severely. Pakistan is a very active and important neighbor of Afghanistan. Instability in Afghanistan has grave implications for internal and external security of Pakistan. It has adversely affected Pakistan’s socio-economic and political sectors. Moreover, the consequences of the Afghan war-damaged Pakistan’s international image. Pakistan has been fighting terrorism and violence since the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan in 1979. In the post-US intervention in Afghanistan in 2001, Pakistan has become more unstable than Afghanistan. The so-called war on terror has, in fact, become a war of terror in which Pakistan is as much a victim as is Afghanistan. Afghan war allowed ethnic and sectarian warfare and Islamic fundamentalism to tighten their grip on the country. In this study, an effort is made to provide a detailed account of the consequences of Pakistan’s engagement in Afghanistan since the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan. The article will point out the extent to which Pakistan’s interests is met in the process of its engagement in Afghanistan. The work will also come out with suggestive measures that Pakistan should take in its policymaking both at the domestic and international level, to preserve its sovereignty, security and integrity.