ISLAMABAD/KABUL: A high-level delegation, headed by Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, arrived in Kabul on Wednesday to meet officials of the Taliban government for discussions on security-related matters, including counter-terrorism measures, the Foreign Office said.
In addition to Asif, the delegation included Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Director General Nadeem Anjum, Foreign Secretary Asad Majeed Khan, Chargé d’Affaires to Afghanistan Ubaid ur Rehman Nizamani, and Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Mohammad Sadiq.
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.
— Spokesperson 🇵🇰 MoFA (@ForeignOfficePk) February 22, 2023
The delegation met with Afghanistan’s Acting Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, as per photos released by the Afghan Prime Minister’s office.
According to a statement from the Afghan Council of Ministers, both sides also discussed bilateral relations, trade, economic cooperation, and regional connectivity.
The government of Taliban said Pakistan and Afghanistan are adjacent countries and should be cultivating strong ties. “The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan desires increased commercial and economic relations with Pakistan, as such collaboration is beneficial to both nations,” it added.
“Political issues should not have an effect on trade matters between the two countries and must be kept apart from security problems.”
The Afghan deputy prime minister requested the delegation to release Afghans jailed in Pakistan. Additionally, they implored Pakistan to provide amenities for Afghan passengers at Torkham and Chaman–Spin Boldak borders, with special attention to emergency patients.
Islamabad promised Kabul to resolve the issues and said that the relevant ministries and committees will be asked to intensify their efforts for solutions.
Recently, the Torkham border — the primary trading and border crossing point between the two countries — was shut for the third consecutive day due to a deadlock over initiating a conversation between border officials.
The closure came after the Taliban accused Pakistan of not fulfilling its commitments.
The Afghan Taliban commissioner for Torkham also confirmed the closure, citing the lack of compliance on Pakistan’s part. Furthermore, unconfirmed media reports mention that the interim Afghan government was displeased with an unexpected ban on Afghan patients visiting Pakistan for medical purposes.
Recently, the Torkham border experienced a clash between Pakistan and Afghanistan in which a security guard was wounded. It is hoped that the two countries will work together to develop a peaceful resolution to the current situation.
