- High-level Afghan delegation discusses bilateral ties with Minister of State for Interior, Interior Secretary
- Both sides reaffirm commitment to enhancing cooperation in trade, transit, and regional connectivity
ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will embark on the long-awaited visit to Kabul on Saturday (tomorrow) to thaw the relations between the two neighbours after a protracted stalemate over Islamabad’s security concerns.
The DPM is visiting Afghanistan at the invitation of Acting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Foreign Office (FO) confirmed on Friday.
FO spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan confirmed the date of the foreign minister’s one-day visit during his weekly press briefing on Friday.
“At the invitation of Acting Afghan Foreign Minister, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, will lead a high-level delegation to Kabul tomorrow,” Khan said. “During the day-long visit, he will call on the Afghan Acting Prime Minister, meet the Afghan Acting Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, and hold delegation-level talks with the Acting Foreign Minister.”
The FO spokesperson said that the talks will cover the entirety of the Pak-Afghan relationship, focusing on ways to bolster cooperation in all areas of mutual interest, including security and trade.
Dar’s visit “is a reflection of Pakistan’s commitment to enhance sustained engagement with the brotherly country of Afghanistan”, Khan added.
Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar said that he will visit Kabul in the coming days.
“Preparatory meetings have been ongoing and hopefully, within days, I will be visiting Kabul for a day to break this logjam which is there for the last few years,” said Mohammad Ishaq Dar, the foreign minister.
Meanwhile, Afghan Acting Minister for Commerce and Industries Haji Nooruddin Azizin called on Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar in Islamabad and discussed matters of mutual interest and bilateral ties.
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing cooperation in trade, transit, and regional connectivity.
They also underlined the importance of maintaining high-level political engagement between the two neighbouring countries.
Pakistan, Afghanistan hold key talks on repatriation
In a significant development aimed at strengthening bilateral ties, a high-level delegation from Afghanistan’s interim government met with Pakistan’s Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry and Interior Secretary Muhammad Khurram Agha in Islamabad on Friday.
The Afghan delegation was led by Acting Minister for Commerce and Industry, Haji Nooruddin Azizi, and included the Minister for Refugees and Repatriation, the Afghan Ambassador to Pakistan, and other senior officials.
During the meeting, both sides engaged in comprehensive discussions on key matters of mutual interest, including cross-border transit trade and the repatriation of Afghan nationals currently residing in Pakistan.
The Minister of State reaffirmed Pakistan’s enduring commitment to fostering friendly and cooperative relations with Afghanistan, describing the neighboring country as a “brotherly Islamic nation.”
He noted that Pakistan has generously hosted millions of Afghan nationals over the past four decades and would continue to welcome those entering through legal channels.
Mr Chaudhry emphasized the government’s efforts to manage migration in an orderly and lawful manner, citing the “One Document Regime” as a necessary step to ensure that only documented individuals remain in the country. He stressed that Afghan nationals are held in high regard and that their repatriation will be conducted with dignity and care.
“To support this process, more than 50 transit camps equipped with medical and essential facilities have been established across the country,” Chaudhry said. “Additionally, complaint cells under the supervision of the Ministry of Interior and provincial chief secretaries are operating to prevent any untoward incidents.”
He also assured the Afghan delegation that Afghan nationals holding Proof of Registration (PoR) cards will not face any difficulties until June 30, 2025.
