The Afghanistan–Pakistan Confederation plan (Urdu: افغانستان پاکستان کنفیڈریشن پلان, Pashto: د افغانستان – پاکستان د کنفدراسیون پلان) refers to a plan proposed between the governments of Afghanistan and Pakistan between 1953 and 1954[1] to merge both countries under a single confederation.
[2] The plan for a confederation was started by Ayub Khan, the President of Pakistan and the Barakzai dynasty under King Zahir Shah who requested assistance from the United States,[3] citing fears that if Pakistan ceased to exist so would Afghanistan from threats regarding the Soviet Union and India.
[4] Afghanistan and Pakistan had a heated relationship since the latter state’s inception due to the Pashtunistan issue[1] by which Afghanistan laid claims to Pakistan's northwestern region.
In September 1947, Afghanistan voted against Pakistan's entry into the United Nations due to the fact that NWFP became a part of Pakistan due to the 1947 North-West Frontier Province referendum, however, in October 1947 it withdrew its negative vote under the condition of merging[5] as Afghanistan didn't like the idea of India, a country with a Hindu majority, bordering it since it would mean that Afghanistan would have continuously been in conflict with India.
[4]