ISLAMABAD: After months of strained relations, Pakistan and Afghanistan have rekindled diplomatic engagement in a bid to ease tensions exacerbated by the issue of terrorist sanctuaries along the border. This week, Pakistan’s chargé d’affaires to Kabul, Obaidur Rehman Nizamani, met with Afghanistan’s interim defence minister, Mullah Yaqub, marking the first known public contact between the two sides in recent months.
The meeting, held on Thursday, follows a diplomatic push by China, whose special envoy visited both Islamabad and Kabul in an apparent effort to ease the diplomatic rift. The talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan come at a time when bilateral relations have been heavily strained due to the presence of terrorist groups operating from Afghan soil, which Pakistan claims have been responsible for a rise in terrorist attacks in the region. Kabul, however, has denied these accusations and has urged Pakistan to focus on improving its internal security.
Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch confirmed the meeting during a weekly briefing on Friday, emphasizing that the discussion between Nizamani and Mullah Yaqub revolved around matters of mutual interest. However, Baloch refrained from sharing further details about the talks.
The Taliban’s Ministry of Defence issued a statement following the meeting, noting that Nizamani emphasized expanding joint cooperation and strengthening bilateral ties. Mullah Yaqub, in turn, described the relationship between Afghanistan and Pakistan as “stable” and expressed the Taliban administration’s readiness to collaborate with Islamabad in areas such as trade and economic cooperation.
Despite the renewed dialogue, tensions over the presence of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a banned militant group, remain a key issue. When asked about the possibility of talks with the TTP, Baloch reaffirmed Pakistan’s stance, stating that any proposals for dialogue with the group were “an affront to the families of thousands of victims of terrorism” and reiterated that there are no such proposals on the agenda with China.
Read More: China discovers world’s largest gold reserves
The Foreign Office also addressed concerns regarding the participation of Afghan nationals in recent anti-government protests in Pakistan. Baloch stated that foreign nationals engaging in political activities in Pakistan is unacceptable, and the Ministry of Interior is handling the issue.
Additionally, the spokesperson clarified that there has been no blanket visa ban on Pakistani nationals by the UAE, despite circulating rumors. She reiterated that visa policies are the sovereign right of individual countries and that Pakistan continues to engage with the UAE on visa and immigration matters.
As diplomatic talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan resume, both sides are looking to address longstanding issues and stabilize their bilateral relations.
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.