Islamabad, 5 May 2023 (TDI): Acting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and his delegation arrived in Pakistan on Friday for a four-day visit, including participation in the fifth China-Pakistan-Afghanistan Trilateral Foreign Ministers’ Dialogue on 6 May 2023.
This visit is part of Pakistan’s ongoing political engagement with Afghanistan, which has included visits from both sides in recent months.
Earlier this month, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) granted a travel ban exemption to Afghanistan’s interim foreign minister, Muttaqi, allowing him to travel to Pakistan despite being subjected to a travel ban, asset freeze, and arms embargo under UNSC sanctions.
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The visit of the Afghan Foreign Minister to Pakistan coincides with the UN’s conference on Afghanistan in Doha, Qatar, which took place this week and notably did not invite the country’s Taliban rulers.
In addition to bilateral meetings, the Afghan delegation will meet with Chinese and Pakistani officials to discuss a range of topics, including political, economic, trade, connectivity, peace and security, and education. Pakistan has reiterated its commitment to continuous and practical engagement with the interim Afghan government, with the aim of a peaceful, prosperous, stable, and connected Afghanistan.
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“The government of Afghanistan wants to hold comprehensive talks on bilateral political-commercial relations, regional stability and transit between Afghanistan and Pakistan,” Ziad Ahmad Takkal, deputy spokesperson of the Afghan foreign ministry, said on Friday.
Since its inception in 2017, the trilateral dialogue mechanism has achieved significant results, serving as an important platform for the three countries to deepen mutual trust and cooperation.
However, the current trilateral dialogue is taking place amidst concerns about regional security and stability, as there has been a rise in cross-border attacks in 2022.
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