Islamabad (Web Desk): Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar is set to embark on a highly anticipated visit to Kabul on Saturday, following an invitation extended by Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.
According to a statement issued by the Foreign Office (FO) on Friday, the diplomatic move comes shortly after the latest round of the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Coordination Committee meeting held in Kabul, where Pakistan’s delegation was led by Ambassador Sadiq Khan, the country’s special representative for Afghanistan.
Dar’s upcoming visit is seen as a potential turning point in the frosty relations between the two neighbouring nations, which have been strained in recent months due to persistent security concerns voiced by Islamabad.
Speculation around the timing of the trip had been circulating, and the Foreign Office’s confirmation now signals an effort to engage in meaningful dialogue.
During his one-day stay in the Afghan capital, Dar will meet with several senior Taliban officials.
According to FO spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan, FM Dar will call on the Afghan Acting Prime Minister, hold discussions with the Acting Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, and lead delegation-level talks with the Afghan Acting Foreign Minister.
The visit will aim to cover the full spectrum of the Pakistan-Afghanistan relationship, with particular emphasis on enhancing cooperation in critical areas such as security and trade.
Khan emphasized that the visit reflects Pakistan’s intention to maintain a consistent and constructive engagement with Afghanistan, which he referred to as a “brotherly country.”
The trip comes amid mounting tensions over issues like cross-border clashes, growing militant activity in Pakistan, and Islamabad’s large-scale repatriation campaign targeting undocumented Afghan nationals.
Since the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in 2021, Islamabad has repeatedly maintained the stance about armed groups of launching attacks inside Pakistan from Afghan territory—allegations the Afghan government has firmly denied, maintaining that no hostile activity is permitted to originate from its soil.
Adding to the strain, Pakistan has ramped up efforts to repatriate Afghan refugees, with over 84,869 individuals sent back since the end of March. Minister of State for Interior Affairs Talal Chaudhry, addressing reporters on Friday, clarified that this repatriation campaign is part of a broader policy to remove undocumented foreign nationals.
He reiterated that Afghan nationals without valid visas will not be allowed to remain in Pakistan after the extended April 30 deadline. Of those already deported, 25,320 held Afghan Citizen Cards, while the rest lacked any legal documentation or registration, Chaudhry noted.
The upcoming diplomatic engagements in Kabul could pave the way for a reset in bilateral ties—or, at the very least, help manage the fallout from ongoing disputes.
