Latest news with #AfghanTaliban
Express Tribune
21 hours ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Reset with Kabul
Listen to article Pakistan's relationship with the Taliban government in Afghanistan appears to be on the mend after hitting its lowest point a few months ago. While several points of contention remain between the two countries, Afghanistan appears to have put sincere efforts into ensuring that its soil was not used against Pakistan during the recent tensions with India. To supplant India, China also appeared in the picture with offers of trade and infrastructure development to the Taliban. In return, Beijing's main demand has been for the Taliban government to make peace, or at least play friendly, with Islamabad. Since the recent trilateral forum in Kabul, Pakistan and Afghanistan have made significant efforts to publically downplay their differences and make statements to express interest in improving relations. Most notably, after years of refusing to take stern action against the TTP, citing their many ideological similarities, the Afghan Taliban have effectively told their 'guests' that their self-proclaimed jihad against Pakistan is illegitimate because only the emir can issue a call for jihad, and in Afghanistan, the emir is the Taliban's supreme leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada. The Taliban government is also learnt to have made sincere efforts - perhaps for the first time since retaking power - to capture and detain anti-Pakistan terrorists, including Afghan nationals. All of these moves are not occurring in a vacuum. After years of official isolation, several countries have been moving towards reopening diplomatic ties with the Afghan government, including through the appointment of ambassadors and the reopening of embassies. While many are still dragging their feet or formally recognising the Taliban government, the appointment of an ambassador is de facto recognition, as the envoy must present their credentials to the host nation's head of state. But official or not, the biggest beneficiaries of improved ties with Pakistan and other countries are the long-suffering Afghan people.
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Pakistan announces to upgrade ties with Afghanistan, appoint Ambassador to Kabul
Pakistan on Friday announced to upgrade its diplomatic ties with Afghanistan and appoint an Ambassador to the country, a major indicator of improvement in ties between the two neighbours. Pakistan had tacitly applauded the capture of Kabul by Taliban in 2021 with the hope that the regime would address its security concerns but it proved otherwise and cross border attacks by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants increased manifolds. The ties plummeted as a result and Islamabad began accusing Kabul of providing sanctuaries to the TTP rebels while demanding action against them. The breakthrough in ties came through the trilateral mechanism of talks involving Afghanistan, China and Pakistan when the foreign ministers of the three nations met this month in Beijing. It is believed that China played a key role in sorting out differences between Pakistan and Afghanistan and the two agreed to upgrade diplomatic presence in their capitals. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar made the formal announcement, saying that the Pakistan-Afghanistan relations are on a positive trajectory after his visit to Kabul on April 19. '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,' Dar said in a statement on X. 'I am confident this step would further contribute towards enhanced engagement, deepen Pak-Afghan cooperation in economic, security, counterterrorism and trade areas and promote further exchanges between two fraternal countries.' In a related development, Afghan interim foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi is expected to travel to Islamabad soon on a first visit in two years, highlighting the growing high-level exchanges between the two neighbours in recent weeks, The Express Tribune newspaper reported. 'He will visit Pakistan soon. Dates are being worked out,' said a diplomatic source on Thursday. The source said the Afghan side has already accepted the invitation. According to a source, this will not be a daylong trip but a three-day trip where a whole gamut of relations would be discussed. In April, Foreign Minister Dar travelled to Kabul in a first visit by any Pakistani minister in three years. The visit helped ease tensions between the two countries. The sources said Muttaqi's visit was part of efforts to increase high-level exchanges. The two sides drew up a roadmap envisaging a series of visits by officials and ministers from both sides when a Pakistani delegation led by its special envoy Ambassador Muhammad Sadiq visited Kabul in the third week of March. The Afghan Taliban government's recent actions against groups posing a threat to Pakistan played a key role in the increased interaction between the two sides. In another major sign suggesting a shift in its approach was a statement by senior Afghan Taliban commander Saeedullah Saeed who, on Wednesday, warned militant factions against unauthorised jihad, particularly in Pakistan. Speaking at a police passing-out ceremony, Saeed said that fighting in any country, including Pakistan, without the explicit command of the Amir is not permissible. 'Joining various groups to wage jihad abroad does not make one a true mujahid,' he stated. 'Only the Amir of the state has the authority to declare jihad — not individuals or groups.' Saeed emphasised that those carrying out attacks independently or moving between regions to conduct operations cannot be classified as legitimate fighters under Islamic law. 'Jihad based on personal ego or group loyalty is considered 'fasad' (corruption), not legitimate resistance,' he added. He further stated that the Afghan leadership prohibited unauthorised entry into Pakistan, and any such act constitutes disobedience. 'Groups attacking in the name of jihad are defying both Shariah and the authority of the Afghan Emirate,' he said. His public statement is seen as a result of recent efforts both by Pakistan and China urging the Kabul administration to change its approach towards these groups. Sources said Pakistan would continue to encourage the Taliban government to carry out such measures. In return for these steps, Pakistan and China are willing to support Kabul both economically and diplomatically.
Express Tribune
2 days ago
- Business
- Express Tribune
Pakistan to restore full diplomatic ties with Afghanistan
China, which hosted an informal meeting last week between the Pakistani government and the Afghan Taliban administration, said afterward that the two countries planned to upgrade their diplomatic ties. PHOTO: FILE Listen to article Pakistan has decided to upgrade its Chargé d'Affaires in Kabul to the rank of Ambassador, announced Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on X, Radio Pakistan reported on Friday. He expressed confidence that the upgrade would enhance engagement and deepen Pakistan-Afghanistan cooperation in economic, security, counter-terrorism, and trade sectors. Additionally, it is expected to promote further exchanges between the two fraternal countries. Announcing the decision to upgrade diplomatic representation, Dar said bilateral relations had been on a positive trajectory since he visited Kabul with a Pakistani delegation last month. "I am confident this step would further contribute towards enhanced engagement," he said on X. Pakistan-Afghanistan relations are on positive trajectory after my very productive visit to Kabul with Pakistan delegation on 19th April 2025. To maintain this momentum, I am pleased to announce the decision of the Government of Pakistan to upgrade the level of its Chargé… — Ishaq Dar (@MIshaqDar50) May 30, 2025 China, which hosted an informal meeting last week between the government and the Afghan Taliban administration, said afterward that the two countries planned to upgrade their diplomatic ties. Pakistan and Afghanistan have had a strained relationship since the Taliban administration took power after the withdrawal of US-led NATO forces. Islamabad says that Islamist militants who launch attacks inside Pakistan use Afghan soil. Kabul denies this, saying such militancy is Pakistan's domestic problem to handle. No country has formally recognised the Taliban administration since it took power, with foreign powers calling for it to change course on women's rights. Pakistan becomes the fourth country after China, UAE and Uzbekistan to designate an ambassador to Kabul. Although those governments say they have not formally recognised the Taliban's government, diplomats and experts say that having an ambassador officially present their credentials represents a step towards recognition.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Pakistan announces it will send an ambassador to Afghanistan to upgrade diplomatic ties
ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan announced Friday that it is upgrading its diplomatic representation in neighboring Afghanistan from chargé d'affaires to the level of ambassador, a move aimed at improving bilateral relations between the two neighbors. The announcement by the Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, comes a week after he met his Afghan counterpart, Amir Khan Muttaqi, alongside China's top diplomat during a trilateral meeting in Beijing. Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban government have embassies in each other's capitals but they are led by chargés d'affaires. Like the international community, Pakistan has not recognized the Afghan Taliban government. There was no immediate comment from Kabul. However, Pakistan had earlier signaled that the two sides were considering an upgrade in diplomatic ties. In a statement, Dar said relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have taken a positive turn since his visit to Kabul in April. '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 said. Dar expressed hope that the decision would strengthen economic cooperation, boost bilateral trade and enhance joint efforts to combat terrorism. Tensions between the two countries have long been strained over Pakistan's accusations that Kabul provides safe haven to Pakistani Taliban, who are known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP and are allies of the Afghan Taliban. TTP is a separate group and has been emboldened since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021.
New Indian Express
2 days ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
Pakistan announces it will send ambassador to Afghanistan to upgrade diplomatic ties
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan announced Friday that it is upgrading its diplomatic representation in neighboring Afghanistan from chargé d'affaires to the level of ambassador, a move aimed at improving bilateral relations between the two neighbors. The announcement by the Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, comes a week after he met his Afghan counterpart, Amir Khan Muttaqi, alongside China's top diplomat during a trilateral meeting in Beijing. Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban government have embassies in each other's capitals but they are led by chargés d'affaires. Like the international community, Pakistan has not recognized the Afghan Taliban government. There was no immediate comment from Kabul. However, Pakistan had earlier signalled that the two sides were considering an upgrade in diplomatic ties.
