Since Pakistan's independence in 1947, relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have been characterized by persistent tensions primarily surrounding the Durand Line, a border demarcation that separates territories inhabited by the Pashtun majority. This dispute, also referred to by some Afghans as 'Pashtunistan', has been a chronic source of friction between the two nations. The roots of this conflict trace back to 1893 when Afghan ruler Abdur Rahman Khan, under British pressure, signed the Durand Line Agreement, which created a boundary between Afghanistan's and British India's spheres of influence.

Subsequently, this boundary morphed into an international border when Pakistan was formed. The Durand Line effectively split the ethnically Pashtun regions, leaving populations divided between Afghanistan and what became Pakistan, further exacerbating their relations. Despite attempts by Kabul to reclaim territories it viewed as rightfully Afghan, these efforts were stymied by Afghanistan's military and political weakness compared to British colonial interests at that time.

Upon its independence from India, Pakistan inherited this complicated border dispute, with successive Afghan governments rejecting the legitimacy of the Durand Line Agreement, viewing it as a colonial imposition that required the restoration of full Afghan sovereignty over the disputed regions. The ongoing contention over this border has not only shaped bilateral relations but has also influenced regional stability and dynamics in the broader context of South Asian geopolitics.