The Pakhtuns on the both sides of the Duran Line share common traditions, social practices, literary and cultural history and never in decades of war there arose rift over any political issue that could take them away from each other.

A large number of Pakhtun tribes share common border because people belonging to one tribe live on either side of the porous border and even today thousands of people cross Pak-Afghan border without any strict regulations. No doubt Pakhtuns on both sides of the divide have suffered physically, socially and culturally at the same scale. Unfortunately, the rapidly changing political issues over the past few years between Islamabad and Kabul also strained the centuries-old cultural relations between them.

According to reports, young Pakistani Pakhtuns are detained and questioned in Kabul on various pretexts while Afghan students studying in educational institutions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa lodge similar complaints with the Pakistani authorities. In the face of a terror incidents in Kabul or Peshawar, the youngsters resort to maligning campaign on social media, TV talk shows and local press against each other.

According to experts, the endless war and political turmoil in the region is now playing havoc with cultural unity too, which needs immediate repair

According to experts, the endless war and political turmoil in the region is now playing havoc with cultural unity too which needs immediate repair. They believe that it would result in serious cultural break up between people of the same race while some think that it shows frustration and non-availability of healthy forums for positive activities in both the countries.

“Young people always need a proper platform to channelise their strength. Islamabad and Kabul must invest in their youth to help sweeten their sour cultural relation,” said Haji Mumtaz, a Peshawar-based Afghan trader. He feared that hate trend in terms of art and culture could spill over to common people.

Some experts term it a cultural rift that could result in erosion of peace and people-to-people contact.

“This is very unfortunate that the hate trend is ever increasing between people of the same race enjoying the same traditions and way of life. This widening cultural rift could prove disastrous for Pakhtuns living in Pakistan and Afghanistan,” said Malik Samad Khan from Bajaur Agency.

Da Rana Malgari, a civil society organisation formed a few months ago by youth of both the countries, has demanded of Islamabad and Kabul to launch a cultural youth exchange programme for better mutual understanding and peace initiative. The Da Ranra Malgari (friends of enlightenment) was launched in August, 2015 to strengthen people-to-people contact to create awareness among them across the Durand Line for better peace initiative. Currently, the organisation is consisting of 20 members both male and female in Peshawar with a six-member cabinet based in Kabul.

“The cultural youth exchange programmes between Islamabad and Kabul would help to bridge the gap and create a forum to promote positive approach towards a friendly socio-political understanding to counter terrorism and militancy in the restive Pakhtun belt,” said Afsarul Mulk Afghan, a resident of Shangla.

Recently, it launched a public library in Shangla for young readers and conducted a Pashto poetry session in which 50 local poets participated. He said that Da Ranra Malgari didn’t have stereo type agenda but had a conscious effort for a better future.

The organisation has conducted several cultural and literary activities in district Shangla and Peshawar during the last five months. It has a regular dialogue forum where poets, writers, intellectuals, journalists and social scientists are invited to deliver seminars on peace initiative and the current issues between Islamabad and Kabul.

“It is our utmost effort to subside and defeat negative propaganda against Pak-Afghan relations. We want to encourage experts to spread enlightenment among educated people across the border and every member is supposed to contribute to peace efforts at personal level. Although it is not expected from this forum to bring about a big change yet it will have definitely a positive trickling effect on the youth which would help to build future foundations,” said Mr Afghan.

He said that there were hawks and doves in both Pakistan and Afghanistan regarding their respective policies but it was need of the hour to bridge the gap. He said that their organisation was not funded by either government in Pakistan and Afghanistan. He said that it was a self-reliant and self-sponsored body.

Sidra Gul, a student of MSc botany at University of Peshawar and member of Da Ranra Malgari, said that Pakhtun women were the worst hit segment in the war against terrorism. Therefore, she said, they must be given due space to get themselves heard.

“We are in regular contact with Afghan women to raise their voice for due rights and do whatever they can contribute to societal change and also participate in debates and dialogues to pave way for cementing Pak-Afghan ties,” said Ms Gul. Abdur Rauf Yousafzai, a member of Da Ranra Malgari, told this scribe that their organisation had also a well-trained performer’s troupe conducting live theatre plays on social themes like Pakhtun culture, peace, tolerance, pluralism, acceptance and education.

“Our eight-member performance team has received proper training from famous Lahore-based Ajoka theatre experts. We don’t make tall claims to impress others but just make efforts to bring about a substantive change in ourselves. Also, we are not here to correct others but to broaden our own vision and develop a global perspective to understand our challenges. Da Ranra Malgari is a forum to recognise our talent and utilise it in the best possible manner for the welfare of our respective communities and that is to know what we can do in our humble capacities as youth,” said Mr Yousafzai.

He said that their friends in Kabul were carrying out similar activities to remove wrong perceptions about Pakistan and Pakhtuns living on this side of Durand Line.

“As we enjoy same traditions and culture, I don’t think it needs a big effort to bridge the gap but we young people just want to push an initiative to remove the tunnel vision. After every single terror incident on either side of the border, the hawkish elements soon get involved in blame game and heinous propaganda on social media against each other. Such acts cannot serve the purpose of peace,” said Mr Yousafzai.

Noted analyst Dr Khadim Hussain told this scribe that such an effort by youth showed their seriousness about the cause of people-to-people contact and should be supported at all levels. He said that young people should be engaged in peace initiatives as they were the future peace-builders.

“This is the right time that Pak-Afghan youth rise to the occasion. The problem of terrorism is not limited only to the states of Pakistan and Afghanistan but related directly to the whole region,” he added.

Dr Faizullah Jan, a senior teacher at the department of journalism and mass communication, University of Peshawar, termed the effort an excellent example of public diplomacy, saying it could build pressure on neighbouring countries to expedite peace process.

He said that such humble efforts from young minds could yield fruitful results. “I strongly believe that it could also be the best forum for de-radicalisation of youth, who have great potential for bringing an effective social change. Today’s youth are more resourceful and energetic than before. Once given a platform, they can prove their latent talent. We should promote peace economy instead of war economy in the region,” he added.

Published in Dawn, February 7th, 2016