Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar concluded a one-day trip to Kabul on Tuesday where she held wide-ranging addresses with Afghan Taliban leadership on security issues and profitable cooperation.
Khar, who was leading a high-position delegation, was the first minister to travel to the Afghan capital since the government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif took over in April.
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs @HinaRKhar concludes her day-long visit of Kabul, departs for Islamabad#MoSinKabul @ForeignOfficePk pic.twitter.com/4EWVsk4z2g
— Radio Pakistan (@RadioPakistan) November 29, 2022
The Foreign Office(FO) said in a statement that Khar met acting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi shortly after landing in Kabul. Pakistan’s special representative for Afghanistan Mohammad Sadiq was also part of the delegation.
MoS @HinaRKhar held political consultations with FM of Interim Afghan Govt. Amir Khan Muttaqi. Range of bil. issues of common interest incl. cooperation in education, health,trade & investment,regional connectivity,people-to-people contacts & socioeconomic projects were discussed pic.twitter.com/TO30pq2g34
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) November 29, 2022
Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed to introduce new mechanisms for bilateral relations to review all common openings and problems through dialogue and to make progress, Afghan officers said.
“Both sides have also agreed to take positive and productive ways for a result to the problems,” Afghan deputy foreign affairs prophet Hafiz Zia Takal said in a statement posted through his Twitter account.
Today, a meeting headed by FM Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi with participation of DFM & DGs was held with the Pakistani delegation.
— Hafiz Zia Ahmad (@HafizZiaAhmad) November 29, 2022
The delegation led by Ms Hina Rabbani Khar, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs included other officials including... pic.twitter.com/c6J6mMsLi4
Takal added that FM Muttaqi described relations between the two neighbouring countries as important for the people and the region.
Muttaqi, as per the prophet, raised the issues of the release of Afghan detainees in Pakistan, installations for passengers’ incross-border movement, and progress in trade and conveyance. “The Afghan side also showed readiness to make progress on the TAPI gas channel, road lines, and other systems.”
He also explained the station of the Afghan Taliban on “political relations, profitable development, and security”.
The prophet said the Pakistani side promised: “good treatment” for Afghan deportees, resulting in the problems of incross-border movement, and allocation of visas. “Pakistani side also said they will take way to further grease conveyance.”
The Afghan statement quoted Khar as saying that Pakistan and Afghanistan are Muslim neighbours and have artistic parallels, and both governments should cooperate with each other to secure bilateral interests.
MoS @HinaRKhar held meeting with Commerce Minister of Afghan Interim Government, Haji Nooruddin Azizi. Bilateral trade & economic relations, transit & connectivity came under particular focus. Also discussed mechanisms to oversee cooperation in these areas.#MoSinKabul pic.twitter.com/PRWjoBrric
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) November 29, 2022
Khar latterly met Acting Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs of Afghanistan Abdul Salam Hanafi to bandy bilateral trade, connectivity & people-to-people connections.
MoS @HinaRKhar held meeting with the Deputy PM of Interim Afghan Govt. Abdul Salam Hanafi. Minister for Mines & Petroleum Shahabuddin Delawar was also present. Bilateral trade, connectivity & people-to-people contacts were discussed#MoSinKabul pic.twitter.com/iHGNFhVDuE
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) November 29, 2022
The state minister also met the Women’s Chamber of Commerce where she underscored the important part of women in society, expressed Pakistan’s keen interest in strengthening liaison between women entrepreneurs from both countries, and blazoned that Pakistan would give preference to the import of products by women-run businesses.
https://twitter.com/ForeignOfficePk/status/1597543986805501952
The state minister met the Taliban leaders amid distrust over certain issues, including firing exchanges along the border and a shaft in Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan(TTP) attacks. Pakistan says TTP operates from Afghan soil — a commodity that the Afghan Taliban deny.
Before, the FO said the minister of state would hold political dialogue with the Afghan interim government.
“Bilateral relations, including cooperation in the areas of education, trade and investment, indigenous connectivity, people-to-people connections, and matters related to indigenous security will be bandied,” the FO Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said in a press release on Monday.
Khar would also reaffirm Pakistan’s continued “commitment and support for all sweats aimed at strengthening peace and enhancing substance in Afghanistan”, according to the statement.
“As a friend and neighbour, Pakistan will reaffirm its abiding solidarity with the people of Afghanistan, in particular through its sweats to ease the philanthropic extremity and to produce real openings for the profitable substance of Afghan men, women, and children,” it added.
TTP attacks
Khar’s visit to Kabul came hours after the TTP ended its ceasefire and directed its activists to carry out attacks.
The Taliban hosted the addresses between the TTP and the Pakistani government and the last meeting of a Pashtoon Jirga was held with the Taliban leaders in Kabul in the last week of July.
Pakistan was anticipated to press the Afghan side to mount pressure on the TTP leaders for returning to the concession table.
A former senator and JUI- F leader Saleh Shah said last week that he has met TTP leaders and the applicable Pakistani authorities in trouble to renew the addresses.
TTP prophet Mohammad Khorasani has also verified toDawn.com about the recent contact.
“Yes Saleh Shah has conveyed a government communication last week,” he said, giving no farther details.
Border security
Border security was also conceivably on the docket as incidents of violence have been taking place along the border.
The Kharlachi border in Kurram quarter was restarted on Sunday after checking for many days after both sides changed to fire.
Pakistan was anticipated to convey its enterprises about the rights of women, girls’ education, and mortal rights during the addresses.
Pakistani special envoy Mohammad Sadiq raised these issues in his speech at the Moscow Format Consultations in Moscow before this month.
Distrust
The Afghan side was anticipated to partake in its concern at what Taliban officers claim is the use of Pakistani airspace by US drones to enter Afghanistan.
Taliban Defense Minister Mullah Yaqoob had intimately stated that the US drones entered Afghanistan from Pakistan after a US drone struck a house in Kabul and killed the al- Qaeda chief Ayman al Zawahiri on July 31. Pakistan had denied the claim.
Originally Published Dawn News
