Pakistan delegation visits Kabul, holds talks with Taliban

Pakistan delegation being received by Taliban leader (Photo: Twitter)

By Nasir Aijaz,
The AsiaN Representative

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Director General of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), country’s spy agency, and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar visited Kabul and held important meetings with acting Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and other high-ranking officials of Afghanistan on Wednesday.

Defence Minister, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and DG ISI met Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar amid growing incidents of terrorism in Pakistan involving Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

It may also be mentioned that following the recent terror incidents in Pakistan, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto had reportedly said that Afghan soil is being used for terror activities in Pakistan.

Earlier, the Foreign Office in a statement issued on Wednesday said that the high-ranking delegation will meet with Afghan officials to discuss with them security related matters and the terror attacks will be on top of the agenda of the discussions.

The Foreign Office had said that the Pakistani delegation includes DG ISI Lt-General Nadeem Ahmed Anjum, Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Mohammad Sadiq, Foreign Secretary Asad Majeed Khan, and Kabul mission head Ubaid Ur Rehman Nizamani.

Pakistan delegation meets Taliban leader – (Photo: Twitter)

In November 2022, Hina Rabbani Khar, Pakistan’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs, had visited the Kabul

Meanwhile, the office of Afghan deputy PM said in a tweet that the two parties discussed economic cooperation, regional connectivity, trade, and bilateral relations during the meeting.

Mullah Baradar said Pakistan and Afghanistan are neighbors and should get along well. The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan emphasizes the development of commercial and economic ties with Pakistan as they are in the interest of both countries.

Mullah Baradar said the Pakistani delegation that the political and security concerns should not harm business or economic matters of both countries.

Acting deputy PM of Afghanistan reportedly asked the Pakistani officials to release Afghans being detained in detention facilities in Pakistan.