Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed on Saturday to continue the dialogue to solve bilateral problems in a positive environment amid high level conversations in Kabul.
The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ishaq Dar, arrived in Kabul today for a day visit to discuss security issues that could lead to a thaw in relations between the two neighbors after a prolonged point of view about Islamabad’s terrorism concerns.
The long-awaited visit follows the last round of the meeting of the Joint Coordination Committee of Pakistan-Fanistan in Kabul. The Pakistan delegation was directed by Ambassador Sadiq Khan, the country’s special representative for Afghanistan.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (FO), DAR participated in broad discussions with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Afghan, Amir Khan Muttaqi.
The statement said: “Discussions covered an integral range of issues related to bilateral relations, underlining the need to devise strategies to improve cooperation in various areas of mutual interest, including security, trade, traffic, connectivity and people with people’s contacts.”
“The Deputy Prime Minister emphasized the primary importance of addressing all relevant issues, particularly those related to border security and management, to fully carry out the regional trade and connectivity potential,” he added.
The FO also said: “Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to promote mutually beneficial relationships and agreed to maintain high level commitment.”
Talking to the media before their departure, GIV said that the two countries share entrenched fraternal ties that must be strengthened even more, state media Pakistan radio reported.
Giving said that Pakistan has concerns about terrorism and that discussions will be maintained with the Afghan side on this matter.
“Our goal is to promote the collaboration that serves the mutual interests of the peoples of both countries and the region,” he added.
The Deputy Prime Minister was received at the airport by the Dignitaries of the Afghan Government, according to a statement from the Pakistan Embassy. The statement added that Pakistan’s head of Mission at the Ambassador of Afghanistan, Ubaid-Ur-Rehman Nizamani, and the Embassy officers were also present on the occasion.
“There are some reasons for the coldness in relations with Afghanistan in recent years,” he said to the state media Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV) Before your departure.
He continued: “I think that Pakistan’s security, people, their lives and their properties is very important. We have concerns about terrorism, which we will discuss.”
He said there were immense opportunities for trade, economy and investment between the two countries. “Our links with Central Asia can be done through the railroad, but unless Afghanistan becomes a partner, a railway bond between Pakistan and Central Asia without it can not be built,” he added.
He also said that the potential in trade was not being used, and added that the prime minister and other interested parties decided that we would get involved with Afghanistan.
Giving also highlighted commercial and investment conversations between the two countries held earlier this week. The interim minister of Afghan industry and commerce, Nooruddin Azizi, directed a high -level delegation to Pakistan to explore ways to improve commercial ties.
He said he was going with a “message of good will” and declared: “Both Muslim countries should become close partners of each other and do whatever possible for the economic development of people in both countries and for the improvement of people.”
A day earlier, FO spokesman Shafqat Ali Khan said: “At the invitation of the Aphghan Foreign Minister, in functions ,, […] Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, will take a high -level delegation to Kabul tomorrow. ”
He said that the conversations will cover the entire Pak-FGHAN relationship, focusing on the ways of strengthening cooperation in all areas of mutual interest, including security and commerce.
The trip reaches the light of the growing tensions between the two countries, with deportations of Afghan refugees, skirmishes along the border and the increase in the activity of the armed groups within Pakistan from the Taliban acquisition of Afghanistan in 2021.
Pakistan argues that these armed groups operate from an Afghan soil, an claim that Afghan officials have denied, maintaining that no one can use the Afghan soil against any country.
