Islamabad, 12 January 2023 (TDI): The Foreign Minister of Pakistan, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari spoke by phone with the Acting Afghan Foreign Minister of Afghanistan, Amir Khan Muttaqi.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari expressed condolences following the heinous terrorist attack outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kabul.
The Foreign Minister strongly condemned the terrorist act, emphasizing that terrorism posed a common threat to both Pakistan and Afghanistan. In this vein, he demanded a joint response.
Reiterating Pakistan’s complete solidarity with the Afghan people in combating this threat, the Foreign Minister also underscored Pakistan’s commitment to working with Afghanistan to promote regional peace and stability.
Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai described Pakistan and Afghanistan as “inseparable brothers.”
He also accused Pakistan of supporting terrorism against Afghanistan, citing historical, religious, and ethnolinguistic ties between the Pashtun people and other ethnic groups in both countries, as well as trade and other ties.
Nevertheless, it is pertinent to note that each country is one of the other’s largest trading partners, and Pakistan is a major conduit for transit trade involving landlocked Afghanistan.
Both countries are members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Organization for Economic Cooperation, and the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation.
Moreover, since 2021, Pakistan has contributed $1 billion to the reconstruction of war-torn Afghanistan, including the construction of hospitals, schools, and roads, as well as the provision of 14945 tonnes of humanitarian aid.
