Pakistan delegation meets Afghan deputy PM amid strained ties

Published: 04:52 PM, 22 Feb, 2023
Pakistan
Pakistan delegation meets Afghan deputy PM amid strained ties

The Foreign Office (FO) said Wednesday that a Pakistani delegation has arrived in Kabul for talks with officials of the interim Afghan government on security-related matters, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

“A high-ranking delegation led by the Minister for Defence is in Kabul today to meet with officials of the Afghan Interim Government to discuss security related matters including counter terrorism measures,” said FO on its Twitter handle

The delegation met with the acting deputy prime minister of Afghanistan Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar.

The delegation includes Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Lt Gen Nadeem Ahmed Anjum, Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Mohammad Sadiq, Foreign Secretary Asad Majeed Khan, and Kabul mission head Ubaid Ur Rehman Nizamani.

A statement from the Afghan Council of Ministers (prime minister) said the two sides discussed economic cooperation, regional connectivity, trade, and bilateral relations.

Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund, the Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, met with the Pakistani Minister of Defense, leading a high-ranking delegation. The two parties discussed economic cooperation, regional connectivity, trade, and bilateral relations during this meeting.

In his remarks, the Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs added, "Pakistan and Afghanistan are neighbors and should get along well. The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan emphasizes the development of commercial and economic ties with Pakistan as they are in the interest of both countries."

In addition, Mullah Baradar Akhund said that political and security concerns should not affect business or economic matters. Mullah Baradar Akhund further added that the Islamic Emirate calls on Pakistan to release Afghans being detained in detention facilities in Pakistan. He further added that passengers at Torkham and Spin Boldak should be well-facilitated, with special consideration being given to emergency patients.

The statement added that the Pakistani side assured the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan of the aforementioned issues and added that the concerned ministries and appointed committees would soon work.

The meeting comes as terrorism has been once again rearing its head in Pakistan, especially in KP and Balochistan. Pakistan has seen a rise in terrorist attacks across the country, believed to have been planned and directed by the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) leaders based in Afghanistan.

The development also comes as the Pakistan-Afghanistan Torkham border — the main trading and border crossing point between the two countries — remained closed for the third straight day on Tuesday after a deadlock over starting a dialogue prevailed between border officials.

Earlier this week, the Afghan Taliban had shut the border crossing, accusing Pakis­tan of reneging on its commitments. The Afghan Taliban co­mmissioner for Tor­kham had said the border was closed down for travel and transit trade. “Pakistan has not abi­ded by its commitments and so the gateway has been shut down on the directions of (our) leadership,” Maulavi Moham­mad Siddique had tweeted.

According to unconfirmed media reports, the int­erim Afghan governm­ent was irked by an unannounced ban on the travel of Afghan patients seeking treatment in Pakistan.

On Feb 21, an exchange of fire between Pakistan and Afghanistan was also reported at the Torkham border in which a security guard was injured.

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