MCQ Detailed View

The Durand Line Agreement was signed in 1893 as a formal boundary settlement between British India and Afghanistan. The British government, concerned about Russian expansion in Central Asia, wanted to secure its northwestern frontier to protect India. To negotiate this sensitive issue, they sent Sir Henry Mortimer Durand, a senior British diplomat and civil servant, to meet with the Afghan ruler Amir Abdur Rahman Khan. Their discussions led to a historic agreement that established a boundary, now known as the Durand Line, stretching from the tribal regions in the north to Balochistan in the south.

Henry Mortimer Durand was known for his sharp diplomatic skills and firm understanding of the region’s complex tribal landscape. He played a vital role in drawing a line that divided Pashtun tribal areas between British India and Afghanistan. This decision would later shape the geopolitical map of South Asia. Although the agreement was signed and accepted by the ruling Afghan monarch at the time, the Durand Line has remained controversial ever since. When Pakistan was created in 1947, it inherited the same boundary, but Afghanistan never officially recognized it as an international border, leading to continued political tensions.

✅ Important Facts About the Durand Line Agreement:

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  📜 Signed in: 1893

  
  


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  🧑‍⚖️ British Representative: Sir Henry Mortimer Durand

  
  


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  👑 Afghan Ruler: Amir Abdur Rahman Khan

  
  


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  🎯 Purpose: Define the boundary of British India’s northwestern frontier

  
  


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  🗺️ Legacy: Became the international border between Pakistan and Afghanistan after 1947