Pakistan's deputy PM to raise security concerns during daylong visit to Afghanistan on Saturday
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar is set to visit Kabul on Saturday for high-level talks, with security issues topping the agenda amid ongoing tensions between the two neighbors.
The visit comes against the backdrop of a surge in militant attacks in Pakistan, which Islamabad attributes to armed groups operating from Afghan territory.
Pakistan has frequently accused the Taliban-led government in Kabul of providing safe havens to these militants and 'facilitating' cross-border attacks, a claim Afghanistan denies.
'At the invitation of interim Afghan Foreign Minister, Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, will lead a high-level delegation to Kabul tomorrow,' the foreign office announced in a statement.
'The talks will cover entire gamut of Pak-Afghan relationship, focusing on ways and means to deepen cooperation in all areas of mutual interests, including security, trade, connectivity and people-to-people ties,' it added.
The foreign office said Dar will meet Afghan Acting Prime Minister Mullah Muhammad Hassan Akhund, Acting Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and hold delegation-level talks with Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.
Earlier in the day, Pakistan's foreign office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan emphasized the importance of the visit.
'The key concern remains centered on security,' he said during his weekly media briefing. 'The question of sanctuaries and terrorism has been raised multiple times [with Afghanistan], and we will keep raising it.'
'We want to find an amicable solution to this challenge,' he added.
Since late 2023, Pakistan has initiated the deportation of undocumented immigrants, predominantly Afghan nationals, citing security concerns. The move has strained relations further, with Afghan authorities raising concerns over the expulsions.
Despite these tensions, both countries have resumed diplomatic efforts to improve ties. A Pakistani delegation recently visited Kabul for a Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) meeting, while an Afghan delegation traveled to Islamabad to discuss trade and connectivity initiatives.
Dar's visit is seen as a continuation of these efforts, aiming to address mutual concerns and explore avenues for cooperation between the two neighboring countries.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Asharq Al-Awsat
a day ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Trump's Travel Ban on 12 Countries Goes into Effect Early Monday
US President Donald Trump's order banning citizens of 12 countries from entering the United States goes into effect at 12:01 am ET (0401 GMT) on Monday, a move the president promulgated to protect the country from "foreign terrorists." The countries affected by the latest travel ban are Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen, Reuters reported. The entry of people from seven other countries - Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela - will be partially restricted. Trump, a Republican, said the countries subject to the most severe restrictions were determined to harbor a "large-scale presence of terrorists," fail to cooperate on visa security, have an inability to verify travelers' identities, as well as inadequate record-keeping of criminal histories and high rates of visa overstays in the United States. Officials and residents in countries whose citizens will soon be banned expressed dismay and disbelief. Chad President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno said he had instructed his government to stop granting visas to US citizens in response to Trump's action. Afghans who worked for the US or US-funded projects and were hoping to resettle in the US expressed fear that the travel ban would force them to return to their country, where they could face reprisal from the Taliban. Democratic US lawmakers also voiced concern about the policies. "Trump's travel ban on citizens from over 12 countries is draconian and unconstitutional," said US Representative Ro Khanna on social media late on Thursday. "People have a right to seek asylum."
Arab News
a day ago
- Arab News
Pakistani, Muslim leaders share Eid greetings, offer special prayers for Gaza
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar on Sunday exchanged Eid Al-Adha greetings with the leaders of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Oman, Bahrain, Jordan and other Muslim nations and offered special prayers for the people of Gaza. Eid Al-Adha is one of the two most important festivals of the Islamic calendar, marked by Muslims in Pakistan and around the world by slaughtering animals such as sheep and goats, and distributing their meat among family, friends and the poor. Pakistan Deputy Prime Minister Dar held a telephonic conversation with his UAE counterpart Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan and exchanged warm Eid greetings, the Radio Pakistan broadcaster reported. They prayed for peace, prosperity and well-being of Muslims across the world. Separately, PM Sharif held a telephonic conversation with Oman's Sultan Haitham bin Tarik and conveyed his warm greetings to him and the brotherly people of Oman on the Eid Al-Adha. 'While exchanging Eid wishes, the two leaders prayed for unity and harmony among the Muslim Ummah. They also offered special prayers for the people of Gaza,' Sharif's office said. The development came as at least four Palestinians were killed and others were wounded by Israeli fire around a kilometer from an aid distribution point in the Gaza Strip, Palestinian health officials and witnesses said on Sunday. Israel's military campaign has killed over 54,000 Palestinians, according to Palestinian Health Ministry. The war has destroyed vast areas of Gaza and displaced around 90 percent of its population. The territory's roughly 2 million Palestinians are almost completely reliant on international aid because nearly all of Gaza's food production capabilities have been destroyed. The Pakistani leaders also held similar calls and exchange of Eid greetings with Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa, Jordan's King Abdullah II Ibn Al Hussein, Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon, Malaysian Prime Minister Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
Arab News
2 days ago
- Arab News
'Return to your country' Kabul tells Afghans rebuffed by Washington
Akhund urged Afghans to return to their country, saying they would be protected even if they worked with US-led forces'You will not face abuse or trouble,' KABUL: The Taliban government on Saturday urged Afghans hoping to emigrate to the United States to instead return to Afghanistan, after Washington tightened entry President Donald Trump this week announced a travel ban targeting 12 countries, including Afghanistan, which his proclamation said lacked 'competent' central authorities for processing passports and on the ban on Saturday, Prime Minister Hassan Akhund urged Afghans to return to their country, saying they would be protected even if they worked with US-led forces in the two-decade fight against the Taliban insurgency.'For those who are worried that America has closed its doors to Afghans... I want to tell them, 'Return to your country, even if you have served the Americans for 20 or 30 years for their ends, and ruined the Islamic system',' he said in a speech marking the Eid Al-Adha holiday, broadcast by state media.'You will not face abuse or trouble,' he said, making reassurances that the Taliban Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada had 'granted amnesty for all.'After surging to power in 2021, Taliban authorities announced a general amnesty for Afghans who worked with the Western-backed forces and government. However, the United Nations has recorded reports of extrajudicial killings, detentions and the past four years, the Taliban government has imposed a strict view of Islamic law and restrictions on women which the UN says amount to 'gender apartheid.'Afghans fled in droves to neighboring countries during decades of conflict, but the chaotic withdrawal of US-led troops saw a new wave clamouring to escape Taliban government curbs and fears of reprisal for working with United States has not had a working embassy in Afghanistan since 2021 and Afghans must apply for visas in third countries, principally Pakistan which has recently ramped up campaigns to expel Trump returned to the White House in January, Afghans have gradually seen their chances of migrating to the United States or staying there administration orders have disrupted refugee pathways and revoked legal protections temporarily shielding Afghans from deportation starting in July.
