Differences between Pakistan and Afghanistan
Introduction
Pakistan and Afghanistan are two neighbouring sovereign Islamic states situated in South Asia. The two countries share a border of 2430Km. along the southern and eastern edges of Afghanistan. Before 1947 Pakistan was integral part of secular India. In August 1947, India got independence from the British rule, and subsequently the country was partitioned on religious line, and Islamic Pakistan was born. Muhammad Ali Jinna, who spearheaded the demand for Islamic Pakistan is adorned as ‘father of Pakistan’. On the other hand, the political history of Afghanistan dates back to 18th century. Hotaki and Durrani dynasties worked for welfare of the people of Afghanistan. King Ahmad Shah of Durrani dynasty is considered as ‘father of Afghanistan’. Both Pakistan and Afghanistan have witnessed a number of coups, and both the countries are devastated by Islamic terrorism and civil wars.
Differences between the two countries are enumerated below according to different parameters.
1. Geographical
Pakistan is situated in south Asia, with 180 million population, it is the 6th most populous country in the world, and the second most populated Islamic country after Indonesia. With 796095 square Km. of area under its occupation, it is the 36th largest country in the world. The neighbours of Pakistan are India to the east, Afghanistan to the west, Iran to southeast, and China to the northeast.
Afghanistan on the other hand is land-locked between Pakistan to the south, Tajikistan to the northeast, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan to the north. The total land area of Afghanistan is around 252000 squares Km., and it is 41st largest country in the world. Population of Afghanistan is about 31 million, which makes it 42nd most populated country in the world.
2. Political
Pakistan has remained an integral part of India or Hindustan prior to 1947, and has been ruled by Hindu, Muslim, and Sikh rulers, as a part of Hindustan, from time to time. In 1947,pressurised by British and instigated by some front ranking Hindu and Muslim political leaders, the country was divided on religious line, albeit after bloody blood-bath, and Islamic Pakistan was born. Since birth the country’s political theme has been ‘hostility towards India’ and it has been nurtured by three political pillars of the country, namely the army, the political parties, and the Islamic fundamentalists. Successive military coups, wars with India, and terrorism sponsored by both the state and non-state players have devastated the country politically and economically so much so that in 1980s the country was on the verge of bankruptcy, only to be bailed out by America and other allies. The country still faces political instability in spite of having a democratically elected government. Unlike Afghanistan, in Pakistan army is the most powerful political agent and calls the shots in almost all issues.
On the other hand history of Afghanistan as a sovereign state is much older than Pakistan. It has been ruled by successive dynasties for long time. Kings of Hotaki and Durrani dynasties worked for welfare and modernisation of the country. The country attained independence from British rule in 1919 and emerged as a sovereign Islamic Republic. Since 1973 the country has witnessed a number of coups and foreign invasions. Apart from this religious extremism has severely impacted social and political fabrics of the country.
3. Cultural
Pakistan inherited the strong root of rich Indian classical music like Khayal, Thungri, Dadra, Ghazal, and Qawali, and produced number of talented musicians. Internationally acclaimed Urdu poetry finds its root in Pakistan. Peoples of Pakistan talk in synthesis of Hindi and Urdu. On the other hand, Afghanistan has the rich heritage of Persian poetry, and indigenous vocal and instrumental folk music. The predominant language of Afghanistan is Pushtun. Pakistani music and art are much ahead of Afghan counterpart.
4. Agricultural
Weather pattern and land quality of Pakistan are agriculture friendly, hence Pakistan is agriculturally rich country, with considerable production of food grains especially sugar, wheat, and rice. It also produces agro products like rubber and herbs. Weather pattern in Afghanistan, on the other hand is not agriculture friendly, more over Afghanistan has too much of barren land making agriculture more difficult. However Afghanistan is famous for producing dry fruits like apricots, dates, and other fruits namely melon, grapes, and pomegranates. It may be noted that Afghanistan is the largest producer of opium in the world.
Economical
Pakistan is a semi industrialized country, poised to develop at a high rate. I industrialized urban sectors co-exist with less developed areas. As of 2011 Pakistan’s nominal GDP was US$202 billion, nominal per-capita GDP was US$1197, and in terms of Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) these were US$486.6 billion, and US$2851 respectively. Inflation rate in Pakistan for the fiscal year 2010-11 was 14.1%. Pakistan has been witnessing a transition from agricultural to industrial economy, and agriculture now accounts for only 21.2% of the GDP. Unemployment rate in Pakistan is about 12%.
Afghanistan, on the other hand is one of the poorest countries in the world. For quite a long time Afghan economy has remained closed with trade between tribes and communities. Due to prolonged instability no foreign investment has come through. As of 2013 the GDP of Afghanistan stands at US$45.3 billion, and per capita GDP stands at US$1100. Unemployment rate of the country is about 45%, and about 50% people live below poverty line. However the government of Afghanistan is working hard with active assistance from IMF, ADB, India, and other western countries in its attempt to recover the economy. Donors have initiated a USD$50 billion aid package, which is expected to sow the seed of economic growth for Afghanistan.
Summary
Pakistan and Afghanistan are two neighbouring Islamic states in south Asia; sharing a border of 2430 Km. Afghanistan has a much longer political history than Pakistan. Both the countries have witnessed bloody civil wars, coups, and terrorism. There exist some political, social and historical differences, but most glaring among them is difference in economic conditions.
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References :
[0]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/03/GAO-USAID_Map_of_Pakistan_and_Afghanistan.PNG
[1]http://www.wikipedia.org
[2]www.vspages.com/Afghanistan-vs-Pakistan-the-difference-between
[3]http://www.volconvo.com
Afghanistan is war torn, Pakistan on the other hand only has a small portion of it’s land such as Waziristan that can be considered as a war torn region. Pakistan is a much more prosperous nation then Afghanistan, plus there is the CPEC project in Pakistan. So yeah..
Stfu noob long live russia
The data is fully written wrong, insane Afghanistan area is 252,071 square miles not square kilometer, its 652,230 km². and Afghanistan has long history and existence its estimated 5000 years, and between this 5000 years Pakistan and much of India was under Afghanistan occupation still 40 million Afghans live in so called Pakistan, they have occupied 2 states from Afghanistan such as Pashtunistan and Baloochistan and 2 state from India Sindh and Panjab. they are created by Britishers to establish their thorn forever in south Asia to control the region. Pakistan and Israel were created on the same year 1947. try some more research on this topic and state credible sources. dont write from your kidneys.
Afghanistan is a nation state but Pakistan is an ideological state
There are so many mistakes I don’t even know where to begin. First off Pakistan wasn’t always apart of Hindustan . In fact in this article it says Afghanistan was ruled under durrani. Well pakistan was ALL a part of the fires I empire if u look at a map of the durra I empire and Pakistan was apart of the Persian empire as well. Secondly Pakistan and Afghanistan share the same ethnicity in the west half of Pakistan called PASHTUNS !!! There is no difference between Pakistani Pashtuns and afghans Pashtuns. And their language isn’t called Pashtun it’s called Pashto but the retard who made this article said Pashtun is the language they speak in Afghanistan lmao what an idiot. Also spoken in Pakistan it also has Persian music in the western half of it not all of it is Indian. There is so much similarity culturally between AFPAK but this retard made it as simple as Pakistan is Indian and afghan is Persian even though they share half the same fucking ethnic ties and were apart of the same empires for most of history just not the ONE EMPIRE the British raj which btw Pakistan was only apart of for 80 years . Jesus Christ delete this article PLEASE!
Well, i always said that Pakistanis are ashamed of their backgrounds, ancestors, and always go after afghans and “Us” middle eastern, Afghanistan, the country that is a central/west Asian country is sometimes considered south Asian, because they joined saarc in 2011 because of some political reasons, then why wouldn’t Pakistan be called south Asian or Indian? Are you telling me that every country that becomes Muslim should be counted as middle east or central Asian? Then i thin Indonesia and malaysia are also middle eastern/central Asian countries XD right? 70% of you are from Indian blood no matter how much you stick yourself to us, n one cares about you, and your the only one thinking that you middle can you stick to your own place in south Asia plz? And can you can youeastern or afghan, for others you are 1 coin with two sides, like Canada and USA, or like Palestine and Israel, so plz stop this shit. however afghans are people from Persian and sometimes central Asian, their facial features, culture, religion, believes all matches Persians and central Asian people, calling Afghanistan as south Asian country is like calling Uzbekistan or turkey south Asian, and it is idiotic, tell me some festivals that Pakistanis have that matches central Asian, and tell me some of afghan festivals, i bet you’ll find afghans more closer (i mean why they even compare themselves to central Asians and middle eastern countries all the time?) isn’t that a shame that Pakistanis are always ashamed of their past and ancestors? You should stop this shit, we’re tired of your bull shits, your not from our blood nor do we accept any of you, and we also gonna label out Pashtun in Pakistan as Pakistani for your sake :/ Again, for us, Pakistanis and Indians are the same, nor do we even care about any of you or “them”, it’s just you’re are after us all the time sometimes even more than pashtuns and Baluchis are :/ one time you call Afghanistan (The land you’ve destroyed in 40 yrs, by sending brainless and uneducated people of your’s at there in the name of sharia and Islam, just for power and western money, the country that you’ve transferred as back in the day’s Europe, to one of the third world countries like your own country) as poor, and on the other hand, you say that your culture is the same as them and your from their blood, can you tell me what’s going on? what in your dumb minds? can you leave us “central Asian and middle eastern) alone plz? mind your own fucking business and stop thinking about skin color and things like that plz? Btw that article that that person wrote was half incorrect about Afghanistan, in fact it’s the other way around as because Pakistan is the father of terrorists :/ and if they minded their own business and didn’t go after western money Afghanistan would be 10x more beautiful and prettier than Europe today, i promise you, they’d and still do spit on Pakistan like America does.
Pakistanis are proud of their ancestors.. What makes your shit filled head think otherwise unless you belong to traitor blood mother seller and Indian fucked Afghani.