Islamabad (TDI): Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar is expected to visit Afghanistan in the coming days, which could potentially lead to a thaw in relations between the two neighbours after protracted stalemate over Islamabad’s security concerns.
“The preparatory meetings have been underway, and I hope to visit Afghanistan in the coming days for a day-long trip aimed at breaking the deadlock which has been there for the last few years,” Dar said during a media talk at the Foreign Office on Thursday.
The development comes on the heels of the latest round of the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Coordination Committee meeting held in Kabul.
The Pakistani delegation was headed by Ambassador Sadiq Khan, Islamabad’s special representative for Afghanistan, while the Afghan side was led by Acting Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi.
Dar’s visit, scheduled for several months, had been delayed repeatedly amid intensifying tensions rooted in Islamabad’s security concerns.
Ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan have steadily strained since the Taliban’s return to Kabul in August 2021.
Read More: Pakistan, Afghanistan JCC Talks Resume After Long Gap
While early contacts were marked by cautious optimism, the relations soured amid increasing allegations from Pakistan that Afghan authorities have failed to address cross-border terrorism.
In particular, Islamabad has accused Kabul of harbouring Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan’s (TTP) members, an outlawed organization responsible for a series of deadly attacks in Pakistan.
Multiple UN reports have supported Pakistan’s claims that TTP fighters are operating from Afghan soil.
Border clashes, Pakistani air strikes on militant sanctuaries, and deportation of Afghan refugees have further strained relations.
Read More: Pakistan Urges UNSC to Block Arms for Afghanistan-Based Terrorists
In a statement on Wednesday, the Afghan foreign ministry confirmed that Muttaqi expressed “serious concerns” over the tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan and recent developments, especially the “forced expulsion of Afghan nationals”.
He urged that issues be resolved through trust-based negotiations and warned both sides against making statements or taking actions that could inflame public sentiments.
