- Move comes after Chinese FM hosted meeting between nations
ISLAMABAD: Kabul announced elevating its diplomatic post in Islamabad to full ambassadorial status, the Afghan foreign minister said.
The development comes a day after Pakistan upgraded its diplomatic ties with Afghanistan.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan welcomes the decision of the Government of Pakistan to upgrade the level of its diplomatic mission in Kabul to that of an ambassador,” the ministry wrote in an X post.
“In reciprocity, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan will elevate the status of its mission in Islamabad from chargé d’affaires to ambassador,” it added.
The Afghan foreign ministry added that this elevation in diplomatic representation between Afghanistan and Pakistan paves the way for enhanced bilateral cooperation in multiple domains.
Pakistan and Afghanistan have embassies in each other’s capitals, but they were led by charge d’affaires, not ambassadors.
China was the first country to accept an ambassador from the Taliban-run administration in Kabul, though it does not formally recognize its government. Several other states, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), followed.
The statement came a day after Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who held a second meeting with China’s foreign minister within a span of 10 days in Hong Kong, announced the upgrading of diplomatic ties with Kabul.
“Pakistan-Afghanistan relations are on a positive trajectory after my very productive visit to Kabul with the Pakistan delegation on 19th April 2025,” Dar said in a statement on Friday.
“To maintain this momentum, I am pleased to announce the decision of the Government of Pakistan to upgrade the level of its chargé d’affaires in Kabul to the level of ambassador,” he added.
“I am confident this step would further contribute towards enhanced engagement, deepen Pak-Afghan cooperation in economic, security, CT & trade areas and promote further exchanges between two fraternal countries,” he further stated.
The two nations share a porous border spanning around 2,500 kilometres with several crossing points, which hold significance as a key element of regional trade and relations between the people across both sides of the fence.
The issue of terrorism remains a key issue for Pakistan, which has urged Afghanistan to prevent its soil from being used by groups such as the TTP to carry out attacks inside the former’s territory.
However, days earlier, a commander of the Afghan Taliban, Saeedullah Saeed, warned terrorists of Fitna al-Khwarij against fighting the Pakistan forces, conducting attacks in the name of Jihad.
Meanwhile, Islamabad and Beijing also agreed to extend the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to Afghanistan, reaffirming their commitment to enhancing regional connectivity and economic cooperation.
Tensions appeared to ease after a rare meeting between Muttaqi and Dar in Kabul last month, where the Taliban’s acting foreign minister expressed concern over the deportation of tens of thousands of Afghans from Pakistan.
During the meeting, both sides agreed to continuing dialogue in a constructive and positive atmosphere to address bilateral concerns, including security, trade, transit cooperation, and broader ties.
Afghanistan welcomes upgrade of diplomatic ties with Pakistan
Meanwhile, Afghanistan has welcomed Pakistan’s decision to upgrade diplomatic engagement with Kabul, saying that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA)—the name the interim Taliban government uses for itself—will also reciprocate the move, according to the TOLOnews television.
The IEA’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed Islamabad’s recent decision to elevate its diplomatic relations in Kabul from chargé d’affaires to ambassador.
“The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan will also reciprocally upgrade the level of its chargé d’affaires in Islamabad to ambassador,” said Zia Ahmad Takal, head of public relations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kabul.
“Elevating the level of diplomatic relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan will pave the way for expanding cooperation between the two countries across many sectors,” he added in a statement also published on the official “X” account of the ministry.
