Former President Hamid Karzai has pushed back against recent remarks by Pakistan’s President, Asif Ali Zardari, disputing claims over the cultural and historical legacy of the Gandhara region and elements of shared heritage.
Karzai said that the civilizations of present-day northern India and Pakistan are continuations of what he described as the civilization of modern Afghanistan, and that Kandahar and its historical identity are rooted in what he called “ancient Ariana,” a region that once stretched from Bamiyan to the Indus basin.
His comments, posted on the social platform X, came in response to a message issued by Zardari marking World Heritage Day on April 18, in which the Pakistani leader described his country as a crossroads of ancient civilizations. In that statement, Zardari highlighted cultural traditions spanning from the Indus Valley civilization to the Mughal era, and cited Gandhara as part of the historical legacy that shapes Pakistan’s national identity.
Zardari’s message also referred to folk traditions and music, including the story of Adam Khan and Durkhanai and the use of the rubab, as elements of Pakistan’s intangible cultural heritage.
Karzai rejected that characterization, saying that both the Adam Khan–Durkhanai story and the rubab are part of Afghanistan’s cultural heritage. He cited historical sources, including a work he referred to as “Milli Hindara,” to support his claim.
The former president also noted that the rubab, often known as the “Kabuli rubab”, is a traditional Afghan musical instrument, and said it had been recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization as part of Afghanistan’s cultural heritage in 2024.
The exchange reflects longstanding sensitivities in the region over the ownership and interpretation of shared cultural and historical legacies, particularly those that predate modern national borders.
Zardari, in his World Heritage Day message, emphasized the importance of preserving cultural heritage as a source of national identity and economic development, including tourism, and called for efforts to protect what he described as a shared legacy.
Karzai, however, framed the issue in national terms, asserting Afghanistan’s historical claims over cultural elements he said originate within its civilizational sphere.
